Justify my love

I may be hypertensive and arthritic, but that has not stopped me from occasionally indulging in my favorite sea critter: lambay (crab). Especially if with a verifiable excuse, e.g., the full moon or the monsoon. “It was these or bangsi (flying fish),” I tell my father. “Well?”

What I don’t have an excuse for is when I serve them with kalamansi-garlic butter — lots of it. I’m not that creative. If I don’t feature crab dishes often enough, it’s only because we almost always have crabs plainly steamed or boiled, with a dip of spiced vinegar on the side. Nothing wrong with that, of course; I still think it’s the best way to enjoy crab. But sometimes I feel like upping the ante a bit, because long as I’m going to feel an unpleasant tingle in my lower back later on, might as well give my daily dose of Crestor some cholesterol to work on. I’m sick in so many ways and I know it.

Speaking of sick, it took me a while to get comfortable with the decidedly un-Pinoy practice of hacking crab to pieces. True, I would not have minded half as much had the vendor done it for me. As it is, crab must be kept alive until the last minute, so I live with the “barbarity” by telling myself that the pieces not only cook faster, they also leave a lot less mess on the table.

I have featured stir-fried crab before (see Valentine Warner’s chili crab). It was good, if not in the heart-stopping sense that garlicky buttered crab is. You can never have enough of that tangy, piquant, rich golden fat, and not because you’re a butter fiend or anything. As soon as it disappears into all those crab crevices, it is all too easy to justify putting in more (take a peek at the bottom of the plate in the second photo to see my point). This dish is definitely not for the faint of heart, gouty, or weak-willed. Sige nga, what’s your excuse?

Stir-Fried Crab in Tangy Garlic Butter

To prepare crab, turn upside down and cleave at the middle. Remove its apron, gills, and mandibles, then chop into serving pieces. Scrape away the gelatinous substance on the underside of the shell and save, along with any water. Rinse crab pieces well and refrigerate until using. You may substitute lime or lemon for kalamansi.

• 2 kilos crab, cleaned
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine

For the compound butter:
• 1 stick (½ cup) salted butter, softened
• 5 cloves garlic, minced and mashed
• 1 red finger chili, deseeded and minced
• 5 kalamansi, zested and juiced
• salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a bowl, combine first four ingredients for compound butter, whisking until throroughly mixed. Season to taste and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add crab pieces and sauté, then add wine and simmer for a minute before adding reserved shell juices/cream (see note above). Cover pan.
3. After 4 to 5 minutes, remove cover and add half of compound butter. Make sure every piece of crab is coated with butter; add more if too dry. Serve immediately.