Crab deserves to be celebrated, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a super-fancy, laborious meal. Crab midweek? Yes, please, and fried rice is my fallback whenever I am in a dinner pickle. That’s not to belittle its deliciousness, complexity or elegance, though, because this spiced crab version can be as fancy as you like. That said, the speed and ease with which I can create a meal that I know everyone will love is the winning factor. Plus, I often have leftover cooked, chilled rice in the fridge, anyway, which is always the clincher (cooked rice has a better texture for frying once chilled).
Spiced crab egg fried rice
Prep 10 min
Cook 25 min, plus cooling
Serves 4
Fine sea salt
250g jasmine rice
Vegetable oil
4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
½ tsp ground white pepper
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
3 large eggs, beaten
200g mixed crab meat
1 bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped
1 green chilli, finely sliced
2 limes, halved
Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Wash the rice until the water runs clear, then boil it for 10 minutes, or until it is just cooked through. Drain, rinse under the cold tap and leave to cool completely (if possible).
When you are ready to fry the rice, set a large wok or frying pan on a high heat and add a couple of tablespoons of oil. Add the chopped ginger and garlic, stir-fry for a minute, then add the rice. Stir in the ground white pepper and the fish and soy sauces, then stir-fry for a few minutes, until the rice is piping hot. Push the rice to the side of the wok, pour the beaten eggs into the middle of the pan and scramble for a minute or two. Break up the cooked egg and stir it into the rice.
Add the crab to the wok, then stir-fry until everything is cooked through and hot. Stir in the chopped coriander and sliced chilli, and serve with the lime halves.