Crisp-Fried Crab Claws Recipe

Crisp-Fried Crab Claws Recipe

50 g rice flour

1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)

½ teaspoon granulated sugar

1 egg

60 ml cold water

1 lemon grass stalk, root trimmed

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

1-2 fresh red chilies, seeded and finely chopped

1 teaspoon Thai fish sauce

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

12 half-shelled crab claws, thawed if frozen

Ground black pepper

For the chili vinegar dip:

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

120 ml water

120 ml red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce

2-4 fresh red chilies, seeded and chopped

Method:

First make the chili vinegar dip.  Mix the sugar and water in a pan.  Heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil.  Lower the heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients, pour into a serving bowl and set aside.  Combine the rice flour, cornflour and sugar in a bowl.  Beat the egg with the cold water, then stir the egg and water mixture into the flour mixture and beat well until it forms a light batter.  Cut off the lower 5-cm of the lemon grass stalk and chop it finely.  Add the lemon grass to the batter, with the garlic, coriander (cilantro), red chilies and fish sauce.  Stir in pepper to taste.  Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or wok to 190 degrees Celsius or until a cube of bread browns in 45 seconds.  Dip the crab claws into the batter, then fry, in batches, until golden.  Serve with the dip.