Crab fritters with a spiced sauce

1. 1

   To make the sauce, heat the oil in a wok over a high heat. Add the star anise then the cashew nuts, stirring all the time so they don’t burn. As soon as the cashews are golden-brown add the chilli, ginger and spring onions and stir-fry until the onions are soft. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Add the soy sauce and season to taste.

2. 2

   Stir in the cornflour mixture and keep stirring until the sauce thickens and there are no lumps. (You may need to add more cornflour, if the sauce doesn’t thicken.) Stir in the coriander and pour into a serving bowl.

3. 3

   Heat the oil in a wok or deep-fat fryer to 150C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)

4. 4

   To make the fritters, put the crabmeat in a bowl and mash it up as best you can, mixing it well. If using only white meat you will need to break it down completely.

5. 5

   Mix all the remaining ingredients together well until you have a thick batter. Drop a teaspoon of the mixture in the oil and fry until golden brown on all sides. Drain on kitchen paper and then taste to check the seasoning, add more salt and pepper to the batter as required. Fry spoonfuls of the remaining batter, in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan.

6. 6

   Increase the temperature of the oil to 200C.

7. 7

   Season the langoustine tails and roll them in cornflour. Drop them into the oil and fry until pink and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper.

8. 8

   To serve, divide the fritters between serving plates and pour over the sauce. Top with the langoustines and serve with fried rice.

1 serving ≈ 163 g

Nutrition values are estimates. - means data is unavailable.