Ingredients

450 gm lobster or crabs
6 fresh red chillies
5 cloves garlic
2 stalks spring onions
1 bunch coriander
3 tbs vegetable oil

Ingredients for Sauce:
3 tbs tomato ketchup
Sugar to taste
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pounded salted brown soya bean paste
1 cup water
1 1/2 tsp cornflour
1/2 tsp rice or malt vinegar of freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 tsp dark soya sauce

To Prepare Shellfish:

1. Wash uncooked shellfish well
2. Break off the claws and crack the shell by gently hitting it with a pestle
3. When preparing crabs, chop the bodies in half and then each half into 3 pieces
4. Wash and retain the shells
5. When using lobsters, chop off the tail and head, and chop the body, with shell still on, into thumb length pieces
6. Plunge head and tail of lobster into boiling water and cook till the shell turns red
7. Remove from water and set aside for decoration

Method:

1. Peel garlic and chillies and grind in food processor
2. Wash spring onions, discard roots, cut into finger lengths
3. Cut coriander into one-inch lengths
4. Mix sauce ingredients except for the vinegar or lime juice
5. Heat wok, add oil and when hot, add the garlic, stir fry for one minute, add chillies, stir fry for another minute and add crab or lobster pieces
6. Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes till shells turn slightly red
7. Stir sauce, add to the crabs or lobster and stir well for 2 minutes
8. Cover with a lid and let simmer over high heat for 5 to 7 minutes till shells turn red
9. Remove cover, squeeze the lime juice over or add the vinegar, stir well and add spring onions.
10. Turn heat off, stir well and serve, garnish with coriander leaves