To make the chilli sauce, place the oil in a saucepan and heat gently. Add the chillies, ginger and garlic and cook for 1-2min until softened. Add the sugar, fish and soy sauces, then bring to the boil and simmer for 2min. Remove from the heat, then stir in 120ml (8tbsp) water and the lime juice. Pour into a serving bowl, cover and set aside.
Step 2
To make the crab balls, heat the oil in a small pan and add the spring onions, garlic, ginger, chilli and lemon grass. Cook gently for 2-3min or until soft. Transfer to a bowl, cool and stir in the crab meat, coriander, fish sauce, 90ml (6 level tbsp) breadcrumbs and one egg. Mix and season with black pepper only. Shape tablespoonfuls of the mixture into 18 balls, place on a baking sheet and chill for 20min.
Step 3
Coat each ball lightly with flour, roll in the remaining beaten eggs, then the remaining breadcrumbs. Deep-fry in batches in hot oil for 3-4min or until golden. Drain on absorbent kitchen paper and keep warm while frying the remaining balls. Garnish with coriander sprigs and shredded red chilli, if you like, and serve with the sweet chilli sauce.
Step 4
Prepare ahead. Make sweet chilli sauce as in step 1; cover and chill for up to five days. Make and fry crab balls; cool, cover and chill for up to one day. To use: Remove the sweet chilli sauce from the fridge one hour before using. Place the crab balls on a wire rack over a baking sheet and reheat at 200°C (180°C fan oven) mark 6 for 8-10min. Garnish the balls and serve with the sauce.
Step 5
Make and fry the crab balls, then pack and freeze. To use: Thaw the balls at cool room temperature and reheat on a wire rack over a baking sheet at 190°C (170°C fan oven) mark 5 for 20min. Garnish the balls and serve with the sauce.
A crack team of highly skilled food content producers, the GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurstis our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time.
