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1kg blue swimmer crab
1/2 cup sunflower oil for frying
1/2 cup (70g) garlic cloves, peeled and roughly diced
2 small while onions, finely sliced
1/3 cup (75g) brown sugar
1/4 cup (60ml) fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons whole white peppercorns, crushed
2 whole heads of garlic, cloves separated and crushed but skins left on
1/2 teaspoon salt flakes
juice of 2 limes
Put crabs in a plastic bag and place in the freezer for one hour if alive, this is where they will 'go to sleep' then crabs will need to be cleaned and cut up.
Heat 4 tablespoons of the onion a small pan over high heat. reduce the heat to medium, add diced garlic and cook for 1 minute. reduce the heat to low-medium, add the onion, and cook for about 8 minutes or until soft and caramelised. Add the sugar, fish sauce, and pepper and cook for about 2 minutes or until the sugar has dissolves. Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside.
Heat 3-4 tablespoons of the oil in a wok over a high heat. Fry crushed garlic cloves for 2 minutes or until golden brown. remove with slotted spoon, set aside. Add a little more of the remaining oil and, when hot, carefully add half of the crabs and cook for 2 minutes or until the crabs turn bright orange in colour. Carefully remove with tongs and drain on paper towel. add remaining oil and, when hot, cook the second batch or crabs until orange in colour. remove crabs from wok.
Drain excess oil from the wok, add the onion and garlic sauce, bring to the boil. return the crabs to the wok, along with the cooked garlic cloves, and cook for a further 5 minutes with the lid on or until the crab is cooked.
Finish with lime juice, arrange on a large platter and serve immediately.
