Dungeness crab season reminds me of those trips out to Little Red House in East Coast for Chilli Crab. The best part of eating Singapore Chilli Crab for me is the chilli sauce. I couldn’t bring myself to kill a live crab and since I am really after the chilli sauce, I decided that its just as good to have Chilli Lobster instead. Don’t forget the Man Tous (馒头). I like having them fried.  Always clean up the sauce with the Man Tous!

• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 2 lobster tails
• 10 shallots
• 10 clove garlic
• 1 thumb-size ginger
• 3 stalks green onions, chopped
• 1/2 lemon
• 8 Tbsp ketchup
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp chilli sauce
• 1 Tbsp sambal chilli paste
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp msg
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 12 oz water
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 4 Tbsp water
• 4 Tbsp shallot oil (oil from frying shallot, use other cooking oil otherwise)
• 1 egg, beaten
• Chinese steam buns (馒头)

Directions

1. Clean the lobster tail. Split the lobster in half on the shell side using a sharp knife, or cut into large chunks. Season with a dash of salt and pepper and a squeeze of the lemon.
2. Blend the garlic, shallot, and ginger in a blender.
3. Combine the water, ketchup, chilli sauce, sambal paste, vinegar, salt, sugar, msg, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Set aside.
4. Mix the cornstarch with 4 Tbsp water and set aside.
5. Fry the Man Tous. Alternatively, steam the buns. Keep warm and have them ready when the lobster is cooked.
6. Heat a tablespoon of shallot oil over medium high heat. Sear the lobster tail for a minute and a half and turn over and cook on the shell-side for another minute. Remove and set aside.
7. Heat the remaining shallot oil and fry the minced garlic, shallot, and ginger until fragrant. Add the ketchup mixture. Bring to a boil.
8. Add the seared lobster. Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
9. Remove the cover, stir in the constarch mixture and continue to stir until the sauce is thickened.
10. Stir in the beaten egg and turnoff the heat. Stir in the chopped green onions.
11. Ladle into serving dish and enjoy with the Man Tous.