New Asian Cuisine
Welcoming Spring with Fast Simple Asian Recipes
8 cloves garlic, smashed with a cleaver
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons Sambal Oelek Chilli Paste or other sweet chilli paste
1/2 cup (125 ml) boiling water
2 tablespoons Chinese sweet vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1/2 cup (125 ml) water
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
5–8 garlic chives, cut into lengths
Scrub the crabs thoroughly and rinse well. Detach the claws from each crab and lift off the shell. Scrape out
and discard the gills. Quarter each crab with a cleaver and crack the claws with a mallet or nut cracker.
Heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the dried prawn paste and bean paste over medium heat until fragrant,
about 30 seconds, taking care not to burn the mixture. Add the garlic, ginger and Sambal Oelek or sweet
chilli paste and stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir in the crab pieces and toss well, then add the boiling water, mixing
to coat the crab well with the sauce. Cover and simmer for 3–5 minutes. Season with the vinegar, tomato
ketchup and sugar, and simmer for 2 more minutes. Pour in the cornstarch mixture and toss until the sauce
thickens and the crab pieces are cooked. Season with salt and remove from the heat. Sprinkle with the garlic
chives and serve immediately.
Chilli Crabs with Ginger and Garlic chives
By Carol Selva Rajah, Malaysian Cooking: A Master Cook Reveals
Her Best Recipes

Malaysian Chilli Crab is perhaps intimidating to anyone not used
to strong flavours. But the combination of bean paste, prawn paste
and chilli adds a tantalising aroma to this dish. And diners are
beguiled into enjoyment as they taste this extraordinary dish. Chilli
crab is best cooked and eaten at home where everyone can relax and
enjoy the fun of prying the crabshells with a fork or fingers to get
at that final tasty morsel inside.
serves: 6
preparation time: 30 mins
cooking time: 15 mins
2–3 fresh crabs (total of 2 kg/4 lbs)
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon dried prawn paste (belachan), dry-roasted and crumbled
1 tablespoon brown bean paste (taucheo), rinsed to remove excess
salt, mashed

Place the spareribs in a large shallow dish. Pour the Caramelized Lemongrass Marinade over, turning the
ribs in the marinade to thoroughly coat them. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
Remove the ribs from the marinade and sprinkle them with salt.
In a small saucepan, add the leftover marinade and place over medium heat. Simmer for a few minutes and
set aside for use as a basting sauce.
Prepare the grill for indirect grilling with low heat. If you’re using charcoal, place a drip pan in the middle
and live coals around the drip pan.
Just before you begin grilling, oil the hot grate. Place the meat on the grate above the drip pan or, if you’re
using a gas grill, over the low heat zone. Grill for about 10 to 15 minutes on each side with the hood closed
and baste regularly with cooked marinade.
Check for doneness by pricking the meat. If the juices run clear the ribs are ready.
Caramelized Soy and Lemongrass Spareribs
by Alex Skaria, The Asian Barbecue Book: From Teriyaki to
Tandoori

I like this Vietnamese-inspired recipe because the Caramelized
Lemongrass Marinade combines sweet and salty flavors with
lemongrass. The sugar is first caramelized, which gives the ribs a nice
crust. This marinade is well suited to both smoking and grilling.
Serve these ribs with Chinese Coleslaw and Curried Potato Wedges
or jasmine rice.
Serves 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus approximately
8 hours to marinate
Grill time: 20 to 30 minutes for medium well
3 lbs (1.5 kg) pork spareribs
1 cup (250 ml) Caramelized Lemongrass
Marinade
Salt for seasoning the ribs