Coconut milk chili mud crab

Australian giant mud crabs (or scylla serrata) are a native Australian crab, found in estuaries, mudflats and mangrove swaps found in various coastlines, Australia-wide and are culturally significant as an important bush food for many coastal Indigenous Australian communities. Prized for their large size and succulent, sweet meat, this luxurious coconut milk chilli mud crab dish is sure to delight many tastebuds.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4-6

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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The Seafood Supper

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

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episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

Ingredients

• 2 mud crabs, cleaned (see Note)
• 300 ml vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp chilli paste (e.g. sambal oelek)
• 2 makrut lime leaves, thinly sliced
• 400 ml coconut milk
• Sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, to taste
• ½ small bunch basil, leaves picked
• 1 red chilli, deseeded, thinly sliced
• 2 limes, cut into wedges, to serve

Instructions

1. Prepare the crabs by removing the claws and crack the hard shell with a cleaver. Remove the crab top shell, then chop the crab into quarters.
   
2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan or wok and fry the crabs until half-cooked, then remove to a paper-towel lined plate. Drain the oil into a large, heat-proof bowl and reserve.
   
3. Return the pan to a high heat with 2 tbsp reserved oil with the chilli paste, lime leaves and coconut milk. Cook for 2 minutes, then add some sugar, lime juice and fish sauce to your taste. Return the crabs to the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until cooked through.
   
4. Spoon the coconut milk chilli mud crabs into a serving platter, then sprinkle with basil leaves and chilli. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Note

• You can ask your fishmonger to clean your crabs for you.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

The Seafood Supper

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G