Crab crumpets

Preparation time
less than 30 mins

Cooking time
30 mins to 1 hour

Serves
Serves 2

By Gurdeep Loyal
From Saturday Kitchen

Ingredients

For the crab

10g/⅓oz lemongrass stalks, trimmed and chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 red chilli
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
2 tsp black mustard seeds
25g/1oz roasted peanuts, crushed
35g/1¼oz toasted coconut flakes
150g/5½oz white crabmeat
1 tsp lime zest, plus 1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp amchoor (mango powder)
1 tsp fine sea salt
2 tsp caster sugar
1 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

For the eggs

4 tbsp olive oil
pinch ground turmeric
¼ tsp chaat masala
2 free-range eggs
1 tbsp red onion, finely slivered
2 tbsp finely chopped plum tomatoes
1 green chilli, finely chopped

For the coriander chutney

30g/1oz coriander, chopped
30g/1oz mint, chopped
2 limes, juice only

To serve

4 crumpets
chives
toasted coconut flakes

Method

In a grinder, blitz together the lemongrass, garlic and red chilli with 3 tablespoons of water to a fine paste, then set aside.
Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan, then add the chopped spring onions, coriander seeds and mustard seeds, frying for 2–3 minutes. Stir in the lemongrass paste and fry for 1 minute, before adding the crushed peanuts and coconut flakes. Cook for 2 more minutes.
Add the crabmeat, lime zest and lime juice, amchoor, salt and sugar. Cook for 3 minutes until the crab is heated through and infused with the spices.
For the eggs, heat the olive oil in a frying pan until hot, then add the turmeric and chaat masala. Infuse the oil for 30 seconds, before cracking in the eggs.
Quickly sprinkle over the red onion, tomatoes and green chilli before the white sets. Use a spoon to baste the yolk with the hot spice-infused oil: you want a softly set yolk and crispy frayed white.
For the coriander chutney, mix all the ingredients together with 50ml/2fl oz water in a small bowl.
Meanwhile, toast the crumpets.
Stir the coriander into the spiced crab, then pile it high on the toasted crumpets, add the crispy eggs on the side and scatter with toasted coconut and chives. Serve with with the chutney.