Cantonese-style Stuffed Crab

Combine the ginger, garlic, chillies, lemongrass, onions, 100 ml soy sauce and 50 ml fish sauce in a large pan, with around 2 l water. Cook at a rolling boil for around 5 minutes, then reduce the heat and add the crabs to the boiling water. Cook for around 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Remove from the pan and leave to cool briefly.

Carefully crack the shells using a hammer or lobster cracker, remove the meat and shred or chop finely. Put the claws to one side for serving.

Lightly crush the black beans with a fork. Heat the oil and fry the crab meat with the crushed beans. Add the stock and season with ground black pepper, soy sauce and fish sauce. Cook for around 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the spring onions and bean sprouts and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until cooked through. By the end of cooking time the liquid should nearly all have evaporated.