Tis the season for some crabs! At $2.99 per lb, you can bet I’ll be eating crabs until my heart and tummy are content. One of my favorite Vietnamese dishes is Crab with Tamarind Sauce or Cua Rang Me. It’s crabs deep fried, then stir-fried with a sweet tamarind sauce. It’s a sweet, sour and savory dish that is sure to delight anyone who loves crab as much as I do.
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Tamarind Crab (Cua Rang Me)
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2
Description
Crab pieces deep fried, then stir-fried with a sweet tamarind sauce. It’s a sweet, sour and savory dish that is sure to impress.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 whole crab
- 1/2 cup tapioca starch
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon tamarind powder
- 1/3 cup sugar
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 3 drops sesame oil
- 1 small yellow or white onion, cut into thick slices
- 2 tablespoons minced cilantro or green onions
- 1 jalapeño or Thai chili pepper (optional)
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Kill and clean the crab: Quickly kill the crab by piercing it with a sharp knife in the middle of its underside.
- Scrub thoroughly: Use a brush to scrub the crab, paying extra attention to the claw hairs.
- Remove the flap: Flip the crab over and discard the triangular flap on its underside.
- Separate the shell: Remove the top hard shell from the crab. Use the claws for leverage if needed. Save any tomalley (yellow-green liquid) inside the shell by scraping it into a bowl and setting it aside.
- Clean and cut: Discard the spongy membranes from the body and cut the rest of the crab into manageable pieces.
- Coat in starch: Lightly coat all crab pieces, including the shell, with tapioca starch.
- Deep-fry: In a large pot, heat vegetable oil and deep fry the crab pieces until they float to the top, about 1–2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics: Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok or pan over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant and lightly browned.
- Add tomalley: Stir in the crab tomalley and cook for 2 minutes.
- Mix in the sauce: Add water, fish sauce, tamarind powder, sugar, salt, pepper, sesame seed oil, and optional chili. Stir until well combined.
- Add onions: Toss in the onion slices and sauté for 1 minute.
- Coat the crab in sauce: Add the fried crab to the wok and toss to coat it evenly in the sauce.
- Garnish and Serve: Top the dish with minced cilantro or green onions. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
When dealing with any kind of seafood, always get the ones that are still alive and kicking. Fresh seafood does not have the fishy smell and the meat is firm.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Fry
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
