Mad About Mud Crabs!

The giant mud crab (Scylla serrata) is the most well-known and economically significant species in Australia. It's found along the northern and eastern coasts, from Queensland to Western Australia, particularly in mangrove-lined estuaries in our coastal regions. They are fast growing, reaching up to 25cm and are harvestable at 15cm through methods such as trapping. A male crab is called a ‘Buck’ and a female ‘Jenny’. Jennies are illegal to catch and must be thrown back into the water as they are important for maintaining the population for future generations.
These crabs are opportunistic feeders using their strong claws to hunt for molluscs, small fish, and other crustaceans. They’re scavengers, eating whatever they can find in the mangrove mud, including dead organic matter. Mud crabs have a relatively high meat-to-shell ratio compared to other crabs and their meat is prized for being sweet, tender, and flavourful, thus great in many dishes.
Chilli Mud Crab:
Prep 20mins, Cook 15mins, Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 large mud crab (about 1 kg)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 large mild red chillies, finely chopped
roughly chopped coriander leaves to serve (optional)

Sauce:
¾ cup tomato ketchup
¼ cup fish sauce
¼ cup Chinese Shaoxing cooking wine
¼ cup white sugar
2 tbsp Chinese Chinkiang black vinegar (alternatively use apple cider or white vinegar)

Steps:
If your mud crab is live, place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Once ‘asleep’ use a sharp knife to punch down through the crab’s head near the eyes to open it up. To clean, lift the flap on the underside and pull off the top shell, then remove and discard the grey ‘gills’. Rinse under running water to remove any gunk. Use a knife to cut the crab into manageable pieces, then use the back of the knife to crack the large claws and legs.
For the sauce, combine the ketchup, fish sauce, Chinese cooking wine, sugar, vinegar and ¼ cup of water in a small bowl. Now heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or frying pan over high heat and add the garlic and chillies and stir-fry for half a minute. Then add the sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
Add the crab pieces and let them sit for a minute before tossing them in the sauce. Cover the pot with a lid for about 5 minutes or until the crab is bright red and cooking through. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle over coriander (if using). Serve with plenty of napkins for messy fingers, and dig in!

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Enjoy a delicious Chilli Mud Crab in the comfort of your own home with this quick and easy recipe

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