Mud Crab — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Large mud crabs from PNG's mangrove estuaries cooked in coconut cream with chili, ginger, and lemongrass. This luxurious coastal dish showcases some of the largest crabs in the Pacific.

Ingredients

2 large live mud crabs (about 500g each)
1 can (400ml) coconut cream
2 inches fresh ginger, julienned
2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
2 fresh chilies, sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander for garnish

Instructions

1 Dispatch crabs humanely by chilling in freezer 30 minutes. Clean and cut each crab into quarters, cracking claws.
2 Heat oil in a large wok over high heat. Add ginger, garlic, lemongrass, and chili. Stir-fry 1 minute.
3 Add crab pieces and toss in the aromatics for 3 minutes.
4 Pour in coconut cream, reduce heat to medium. Cover and simmer 15 minutes until crab shells turn bright orange.
5 Season with salt. Remove lemongrass stalks.
6 Serve hot, garnished with fresh coriander, with the coconut sauce for dipping.

Did You Know?

PNG mud crabs can grow claws powerful enough to crack a coconut shell. Catching them by hand from mangrove burrows is considered a test of bravery in coastal communities.