How great is the produce and seafood in the Top End? Especially if you catch it fresh! Everyone has their go to for cooking mud crabs or muddies as they are referred to by the locals! Mud Crabs are most often steamed au naturel to savour the sweetness of the meat, but for many Territorian’s you can’t beat a good chilli mud crab! Grab some fresh local ingredients from the markets, Asian cuisine really influences Darwin’s food and this is the best way to show it.
Ingredients
2 mud crabs
2 tsp peanut oil
1 onion diced
4 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 tbsp galangal finely chopped (substitute ginger)
2 fresh red chilli’s sliced
2 lemon grass stalks
2 kaffir lime leaves
400g canned tomatoes
270ml coconut cream
¼ cup sweet chilli sauce
1-2 tbsp fish sauce (depend on taste)
¼ cup water
Fresh coriander to garnish
1. Clean your crabs removing all the guts and gills. Segment the crab into 4 and crack the claws
2. Heat a wok over high heat, add oil. Add onion, galangal, and garlic; stir fry for 2 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, coconut cream, sweet chilli sauce, fish sauce, water and chilli to the wok. Bruise the lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves and add to the sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add crab pieces to the wok, chuck on a lid and simmer for 15-20minutes.
5. Taste for seasoning. Serve with rice, garnish with coriander, and grab your mates to tuck in!