Remember to serve fingerbowls with plenty of large serviettes, as eating crab is messy – but rewarding – business!
Ingredients:
6 green Blue Swimmer Crabs, cleaned and cut into quarters
1 tablespoon Vietnamese mint leaves
1 tablespoon Thai basil leaves
Steamed jasmine rice, for serving
Asian Citrus Dressing
1 kaffir lime, zest finely grated, juiced
1 mandarin, juiced
1 teaspoon grated palm sugar
1 stalk lemongrass, white part only, grated
¼ cup fish sauce
2 tablespoons coconut vinegar
1 long green chilli, finely chopped
Method:
Make Asian Citrus Dressing: place all ingredients into a bowl and stir until sugar dissolves. Set aside.
Half fill a wok or large saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Place plates in 2 steamer baskets and divide Crab between them. Stack one basket on top of the other and place over wok or saucepan, cover and steam for 5 minutes, then carefully remove baskets and swap them around (so the one on top is now on the bottom) and return to the wok or saucepan for about 5 minutes, until shells are all red and flesh is opaque.
Arrange on a serving platter, pour Asian Citrus Dressing over the top, scatter with Vietnamese mint and basil and serve with rice.
Alternative species: Other crabs, Balmain or Moreton Bay Bugs, Marron, Redclaw, Rock Lobsters, Yabby.