Steamed Whole Mudcrab with Black Bean and Chilli

Mudcrabs are something I always think of as being uniquely Australian. They are not, of course, but having eaten them all over Asia I believe Australian mudcrabs have the finest flesh. Never buy a dead crab, there is nothing more disappointing than mushy crabmeat when you’re expecting sweet, crunchy flesh.

I first made this sauce at the Bluewater Grill in Bondi, in an attempt to avoid using cornflour as a thickener. I can’t for the life of me understand why the texture of thickened