12:54 PM 3/1/98

A popular Malay folklore has it that crabs are fleshier when cooked during
                   the time of a full moon. 

                   On a more down to earth level, the tender and sweet flesh of the crab
                   makes it a very priced meat. 

                   According to Executive Chef Peter Lim of Kuala Lumpur International
                   Hotel, cooked crabs can be eaten straight from the shell or flaked and
                   used in cold salads, quiches, soups, stews and flans. 

                   The more common types of crabs used in local cuisine are the sea flower
                   crabs and green crabs (both can be found in the region), hairy crabs (from
                   China and Sri Lanka) and the king crab (found off the coast of Japan, in
                   the Bering Sea and Alaskan waters, and also imported from Canada). 

                   Male crabs are sold when they weigh between 900g and 1.8kg while the
                   female once they are around half this size. 

                   To find out if it's male or female, turn the crab upside down. The female
                   has a broad triangular tail or "apron" while the male's is slimmer and
                   pointed. 

                   The females are more popular as connoisseurs relish the roe. However, the
                   larger claws of males are believed to be meatier. 

                   "Whole crabs are often sold alive as shellfish are highly perishable and
                   prone to bacterial contamination and are best eaten on the day of capture,"
                   said Lim. 

                   When buying dead crabs, choose ones with limbs intact. They should feel
                   heavy and not hollow. 

                   "If there is a need to store them, keep them at 0-5C and eat within a day
                   or two." 

                   One can also freeze shellfish in a domestic deep freeze (not the freezer in a
                   fridge) and store it for up to two months. 

                   "Fresh crabs have to be kept in the open air in a water filled container
                   covered with netting to keep the mosquitoes away from the crabs' eyes,"
                   added Lim. 

                   Crabs should never be boiled alive. Freeze them first and then immerse
                   them in cold water before bringing the water to a boil. The shells of most
                   crustaceans turn a bright orangey-red or pink when cooked. 

                   This is because they contain red and yellow pigments called carotenoids
                   which are bound to molecules of protein which give crustaceans that
                   familiar blue-grey tinge. 

                   When these creatures are cooked they turn colour because heat breaks the
                   pigment-protein link. 

                   Until of late, seafood was thought to increase the level cholesterol in the
                   blood  increasing the risk of coronary heart disease. It is true that
                   shrimps, prawns, squid (though not octopus) and crayfish are high in
                   dietary cholesterol but they are very low in fat and the cholesterol is poorly
                   absorbed from these foods. 

                   In fact, in a three-week experiment at Washington University, a group of
                   men were asked to substitute their usual protein foods with shellfish of the
                   oyster, clam, crab and mussel variety. These were seen to reduce the
                   blood levels of one particularly dangerous type of blood fat and to lower
                   total blood cholesterol levels. 

                   However, in the same study the squid and shrimp diets did not reduce
                   blood fats in the same way. 

                   Shellfish more than any other seafood trigger allergic reactions and can
                   produce a variety of responses in susceptible people. In some people it
                   may provoke the skin condition urticaria (nettle rash or hives). 

                   Former restaurant owner N. Seetha Devi finds that crabs are a favourite
                   with 70 per cent of Malaysians. However, allergic reactions and the shell
                   keeps most people away from this crustacean. 

                   "It is very messy to eat crabs and people tend to get their clothes dirty,"
                   she explained. 

                   However, crabs happen to be a speciality with Sri Lankan Tamils she said.
                   The favourite being the live hairy crabs which are black and usually strung
                   up and still kicking when you take them home from the market. These
                   creatures are found in abundance during the new moon (ammavasai), as
                   the crabs feel that it is too dark for human eyes to see them. 

                   The hairy crabs are fleshier and tastier than the lighter blue hued
                   counterpart with white spots. 

                   Seetha enjoys cooking crabs because unlike meat dishes they do not need
                   to be cooked for long. 

                   Her speciality is dry curried crab. There are many ways to prepare crabs.
                   For her, taste and smell are very important. Hence the use of many spices. 

                   To give the hot curry a tangy taste, a squeeze of lime added to the dish
                   before it is served. Every part of the crab except the gills and thin upper
                   shell can be eaten. For instance, the little legs are bruised and added to
                   rasam (pepper soup) which is a great remedy for colds. They can also be
                   added to sothee (coconut cream soup). 

                   "Whenever crabs are served, people tend to forgo rice and all other
                   dishes," she said. "Eating just crabs takes a lot of time. In those days,
                   before the use of the little mallets you find at restaurants today, we would
                   give the pincers a pound with the pestle after the crabs are cooked." 

                   While the Indians like their crabs and hot and spicy, the Chinese prefer to
                   have theirs steamed or baked. 

                   Crabs can also be barbequed but most western dishes require just the
                   flesh. Curried crabs also make a good filling for vol-au-vents to serve as
                   canapes. 

                   But according to Lim, most local dishes require for crabs to be cooked in
                   their shells. 

                   Lim's specialities are the chilli oyster crab masak lemak chilli api crab and
                   crab meat cake which is served at cocktail parties. 

                   CHILLI OYSTER CRAB 

                   Ingredients 

                   1 kg crabs
                   1/2 cup oil
                   5tbsp oyster sauce
                   60 gms ginger cut into strips
                   3 cloves garlic
                   1 tsp light soy sauce
                   7 shallots (minced)
                   10 red chillies, seeded (blend)
                   3/4 cup water
                   3 eggs, beaten lightly
                   8 spring onions (cut to 1 cm)
                   3 sprigs of coriander leaves 

                   Ingredients for the sauce
                   3 tbsps chillie sauce
                   5 tbsps oyster sauce
                   10 gm sugar
                   1 tsp light soy sauce
                   1 tsp sesame oil
                   salt and pepper to taste 

                   Method 

                   Clean crabs, discard the shell and gills, and twist off the legs and claws.
                   Cut in half. Heat oil and saute ginger, garlic and shallots until light brown.
                   Add ground chillies and fry for 2 -3 minutes.
                   Toss in the crabs and cover for 5-6 minutes. Then uncover and stir in the
                   sauce. When the crabs are almost cooked, and a warm red, pour in the
                   beaten egg and fold in spring onions. Continue stirring. Serve hot garnished
                   with coriander leaves. 

                   CRAB MEAT CAKE 

                   Ingredients
                   500gm cooked crab meat
                   150gm cooked potato cubes
                   100gm spring onions
                   3 eggs, beaten
                   100gm celery cubes
                   salt and pepper to taste
                   150 gms butter 

                   Method 

                   Cook crabs in boiling water for about five to eight minutes. Remove them
                   from hot water and wash in cold running water. When the crabs are cool,
                   remove the crab meat and set aside. 

                   Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl. Add in potato cubes, spring onions, celery
                   cubes, salt and pepper and the crab meat. 

                   Mix well and shape crab meat into balls of 5cm in diameter. Then press to
                   about 1cm thickness. Pan fry in hot butter about three minutes each side
                   until golden brown. Serve hot. 

                   DRY CRAB CURRY 

                   Ingredients
                   1 1/2 kg crab
                   2 dsp mixed curry powder, heaped if you want it to be more spicy
                   1/2 coconut  1/2 cup thick milk and 1/2 cup thin milk
                   1 1/2 Bombay onions, sliced
                   1 cm thick ginger, diced
                   4 cloves garlic, diced
                   1 teasp saffron
                   a sprig of curry leaves
                   1/2 teasp fennugreek
                   1 cm ginger, diced
                   2 stalks lemon grass, crushed
                   2 tbsp ghee or oil
                   1 tsp sweet cummin roasted and pounded
                   1/2 a big lime 

                   Method 

                   Mix in a basin the curry powder, crabs, saffron, salt and keep aside for
                   half an hour. Heat the wok and add the oil. When it is hot put in garlic,
                   ginger, onions and fry for a few minutes. Add the spices. 

                   Add curry leaves, lemon grass into the mixture and put in the crabs too.
                   Fry for a few minutes. Then add the thin milk and cook till crabs are done.
                   Include the thick milk and continue stirring till the curry is dry. Lastly add
                   the cummin powder and stir. 

                   Switch off the gas and add the lime juice before dishing up. 