Recipe
Kdam Chaa Mrech Kampot (recipe)
Cracked whole crab fried in a wok with pounded Kampot pepper, garlic and a fish sauce and palm sugar glaze.
This recipe from Sous Chef makes Kampot pepper crab, kdam chaa mrech Kampot (ក្តាមឆាម្រេចកំពត), stir-fried and steamed with black Kampot pepper.[1][2] The dish is also called chhar kdam merec. It is associated with Kampot, on Cambodia's southern coast, and pairs the citrus heat of Kampot pepper with sweet crab meat. Fresh green Kampot peppercorns are the usual choice, though black Kampot pepper also works and is used here. The recipe serves two, as a starter or sharing platter, or as a main dish with rice and green vegetables.[1]
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg boiled or steamed whole crab, cleaned and cracked
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 40 Kampot black peppercorns, plus extra to garnish
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp palm sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- Fresh coriander, to garnish
- Rice and a green vegetable, to serve
Method
- The crab claws are detached and the body is halved with a heavy cleaver.
- The oil is heated in a large wok, and the crab pieces fry for about two minutes.
- The Kampot pepper is ground fine with a mortar and pestle.
- The heat is lowered, and the pepper and garlic go into the wok.
- The fish sauce, soy sauce, palm sugar and a ladle of water are added, and the crab is covered and steamed for two to three minutes.
- The crab is stirred until the sauce coats it evenly.
- It is plated with the remaining sauce poured over, garnished with extra pepper and coriander, and served with rice and greens.[1]