Cua Rang Me - Crispy Tamarind Crab

Ingredients

Roasted peanuts

2 tablespoons, crushed

Green onions

2, chopped

Vegetable oil

2 tablespoons

Cornstarch

1 tablespoon

Red chili peppers

2, sliced

Shallots

2, sliced

Garlic

3 cloves, minced

Fish sauce

2 tablespoons

Sugar

1 tablespoon

Tamarind paste

2 tablespoons

Crab

1 large, cleaned and cracked

Water

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together tamarind paste, sugar, fish sauce, and 1/4 cup of water until well combined to create the tamarind sauce. Set aside.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat.
3. Add the minced garlic, sliced shallots, and sliced red chili peppers to the pan. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Add the cleaned and cracked crab to the pan. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the crab turns red and is cooked through.
5. Pour the tamarind sauce over the crab in the pan. Continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes until the crab is thoroughly coated in the sauce.
6. In a separate small bowl, mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water to create a slurry. Add the slurry to the pan and stir well for another minute until the sauce thickens.
7. Remove the pan from heat and transfer the crab to a serving dish.
8. Garnish with freshly chopped green onions and crushed roasted peanuts.
9. Serve hot, preferably with steamed jasmine rice or Vietnamese-style baguette for an authentic experience.