Step 1

Place the crab in the freezer for 20 minutes to put it into a catatonic state. Then remove the top portion of the shell from the crab by lifting it from the body section — it should come off easily. Use a good knife to chop the body portion into large pieces. As best you can, remove the crab meat from the body pieces and place the lump meat into a bowl, discarding all bits of shell. Crack the claws and legs by hitting them with the flat of the knife. Using your fingers or a pick, remove the crab meat from the claws and legs and add it to the bowl. Set the meat aside at room temperature, and discard the body and all shell pieces.

Step 3

In a saucepan, bring 2 cups of salted water to a boil over high heat. Stir in the rice. Cover the saucepan with a lid and turn down the heat to a simmer, allowing the rice to cook for 18 to 20 minutes, or until light and fluffy.

Step 5

In a wok over low heat, warm the canola oil. Once the oil starts to shimmer, add the soy sauce, sugar, and curry powder. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds to combine the flavours. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until light brown and fragrant. Add the crab meat and stir-fry for 3 to 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Pour in the chicken stock and mix well. Add the egg, stir well, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the egg is completely cooked.

Step 7

Add the coconut milk, Chinese celery, and Thai chili. Stir well and then cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the coconut milk has slightly reduced and the mixture has taken on the look of a sauce — it should coat the back of a spoon.

Step 9

Divide the curry between two serving bowls and garnish with cilantro. Serve with the rice.

Step 11

Yield: Makes 2 servings

Step 14

Excerpted from The Great Shellfish Cookbook: From Sea to Table More than 100 Recipes to Cook at Home by Matt Dean Pettit. Copyright © 2018 Matt Dean Pettit. Photography copyright © 2018 Ksenija Hotic. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.