Ingredients:
For the crab cakes:
4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp ground coriander
¼-½ tsp red chilli powder
salt, to taste
1 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp lemon juice
25g / 1oz fresh coriander leaves and stalks, chopped
400g / 14oz prepared crab meat
1 large free-range egg
2½ tbsp mayonnaise
9-10 pieces of thick bread, made into crumbs in a food processor
For the tamarind mayonnaise:
80g / 3oz mayonnaise
50ml / 2fl oz milk
salt, to taste
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp tamarind paste, or to taste
handful fresh coriander leaves and stalks, chopped
lightly dressed salad leaves, to serve
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 170°C / 325°F / Gas 3.
Heat half the oil in a non-stick pan and fry the onion for about four minutes, or until soft. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for another 40 seconds. Stir in the coriander, red chilli powder, salt and garam masala and cook for another 20 seconds then take off the heat. Place into a large bowl.
Add the lemon juice, fresh coriander, crab, egg and mayonnaise to the onion mixture in the bowl. Stir well and add the breadcrumbs. Divide into eight equal portions and form each into a circular shape.
Heat one tbsp of oil in a non-stick pan and cook the crab cakes in batches over a low moderate heat for about two minutes on each side, or until golden brown adding more oil as needed.
Place the cooked crab cakes on a baking tray and place them into the oven to stay warm while you cook the others.
For the tamarind mayonnaise, place all the tamarind mayonnaise ingredients into a bowl and whisk together. Season to taste.
To serve, take the warm crab cakes out of the oven, put them on a plate and serve with a spoonful of the tamarind mayonnaise. Place the fresh lightly dressed salad leaves on the side.
Even if someone arrives unannounced, the Chinese will extend an immediate invitation to stay for dinner with the stock phrase: “We’ll just add another pair of chopsticks to the table.” However, in the kitchen there will be a stir to whip up a quick and easy dish to add to those ready to be served. This egg dish fits the bill. It takes its name from Whampoa, a port near Canton, where the technique for stir-frying eggs was originally invented. The tenderness of the egg has earned much fame for this Cantonese dish.
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