Dark Gravy Crab

Many many years ago, I had a mat motor (taraf Zack dalam “Azura” ler..hehe) boyfriend. We would be going all around the island on his bike and savoured all the best food.

The best dating place is of course the beach and there’s 1 particular mamak used to sell nasi kandar in cart in front of a coffee shop at Batu Feringghi; next to the Park Royal Hotel. He had these wide varieties of lauk pauk and 1 particular dish that I tried was crab cooked in a very dark gravy. It was so sedap..out of this world punya sedap.

I went back a few times but the mamak had vanished. I don’t know what happened or he had relocated to a different place. The owner doesn’t look quite happy though with his presence.

So, I had to asked mum to recreate the dish based on my description. The result was almost close but not quite there. Even then, over the years, I have been cooking my crabs based on this particular style only.

6 crabs

1 onion - diced

1 tomato - diced

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tbs garlic paste

2 tbs meat curry powder

75ml water

35ml dark soy sauce

1 tbs chilli sauce

1 tbs oyster sauce

1 tbs tomato sauce

Fry the crab in oil. Once cook, dish out. Fry onion in the same oil. Once brown, add tomato. Keep frying till the tomato turns soft. Add all the rest of the ingredients except crab. Keep frying and stirring until the gravy thickens and oil splatters, then only put in the crabs. Give a quick stir to blend the gravy well with the crab. Off flame.