Black Pepper Crabs & Prawns

Serves 4

This oriental favorite is best eaten with your hands so have lots of napkins near by and tell your guests to have at it.  The flavors in this dish are best served with cold beer and flavorful bread.

4 small crabs in the shell.  Have butcher clean them.
1-½ pounds of small prawns raw and peeled
3 tablespoons peanut  oil
5 large  garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
3” diameter piece of fresh ginger peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons of sugar
½ cup chopped green Serrano chilies
½ cup dark soy sauce
7 oz bottle of oyster sauce
1 oz. Talamanca back pepper ready to grind
1/3 cup salt free butter
1 tablespoon Alaea red sea salt

Heat a large kettle of water.  Slip crab into boiling salted water to cook.

Meanwhile heat a large skillet, add oil.  When the oil is hot add prawns and one ounce freshly ground Talamanca black pepper

Add prawns.  Turn in oil until red and fully cooked.  Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.  Set aside.  Remove any remaining oil in skillet with paper towel.

Place the skillet on medium high heat.  Melt the butter just until sizzling then add the chopped garlic, ginger, red salt and chilies.  Cook quickly turning the mix until garlic starts to soften.  Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 1 oz coarsely ground black pepper, soy sauce, sugar and bottle of oyster sauce.  Allow to heat through to low boil.

Return drained prawns to the skillet.  Turn off heat.

Lift boiled crabs from water into strainer to drain.  Chop each crab in half on cutting board.

Presentation:  Place all four crab top side up, legs outward on the platter.

Spoon skillet mixture into the middle.  Add lemon wedges for garnish.

Pepper-Passion Recipes