Fried F&N Crabs in Creamy Sauce by Karen Tan

Taken from The Malaysian Women's Weekly 2004

Preparation: 30 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Serves 5

4 crabs, washed, each cut into half
Corn flour for dusting
1 cup oil for deep-frying
6 kaffir lime leaves
70 ml F&N Evaporated Milk
20 gm kerisek (fried coconut shavings)
Dash of salt and sugar to taste

Rempah (pounded or ground):
5 shallots
3 red chilies
2 onions
2 stalks lemon grass, removed outer leaves and use only the white half

Seasoning:
60 gm water
2 tbsps tomato sauce
2 tbsps chili sauce
2 tbsps oyster sauce
2 tbsps preserved minced soybean paste (taucheo)
2 tbsps Thai chili sauce

1. Coat crab pieces with corn flour. Shake off excess. Heat oil in a pan over a medium fire. When smoking hot, deep-fry crab pieces, in batches, for 3 mins or until cooked through and golden in color. Dish up and drain on paper towels
2. Drain hot oil leaving only 2 tbsps of oil in pan. Reheat frying pan and when hot, stir-fry the pounded ingredients until fragrant, about 1 - 2 mins. Add the seasoning ingredients, stir over medium fire until almost simmering
3. Add crabs and kaffir lime leaves. Stir to mix it well, then add F&N Evaporated Milk and simmer for at least 10 mins
4. When the gravy starts to thicken, add kerisek and season with salt and sugar