Singapore chilli crab

Step 1: Keep live 2 mud crabs, live or very fresh in the fridge, covered with a damp cloth, and cook them the same day. Check each piece after cleaning: the flesh should smell of the sea, never sour.

Step 2: Blitz 6 fresh red chillies, 4 shallots, 6 cloves garlic, 1 oz fresh ginger and 1 tsp toasted shrimp paste (belacan) to a coarse paste with 1 tbsp of the 2 ½ tbsp water.

Step 3: Pat the crab pieces dry and dust the cut sides lightly with 2 tbsp cornflour.

Step 4: Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over a high heat. Fry the crab in two batches, 3–4 minutes each, until the shells turn bright orange-red. Lift onto a plate; it will finish cooking in the sauce.

Step 5: Lower the heat to medium. Fry the chilli paste in the oil left in the wok for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until it smells sweet and the oil turns red.

Step 6: Add ½ cup tomato ketchup, 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce, 1 ½ tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp rice vinegar and the rest of 1 ½ cups water. Bring to the boil and taste: it should be sweet, tangy and gently hot.

Step 7: Return the crab with its juices, cover and simmer over a medium heat for 6–8 minutes, turning the pieces twice, until the meat inside the thickest claw is opaque white and firm all the way through.

Step 8: Stir in 1 tbsp cornflour and bubble for 1 minute until the sauce thickens.

Step 9: Turn the heat to low. Pour in 2 eggs in a thin stream while stirring slowly, so the egg sets in soft ribbons. Turn off the heat as soon as it is just set.

Step 10: Scatter with 2 spring onions and 1 handful fresh coriander and serve at once with 8 fried or steamed mantou buns for the sauce, crab crackers, picks and finger bowls. Eat crab the day it is cooked; don't keep cooked crab at room temperature for more than 2 hours.