Crab soup
Crab soup is one of the richest dishes on the Egyptian coast, and it carries a stronger sea flavour than any other soup. The key is drawing flavour out of the shell rather than only the meat, which happens when you fry the crab in oil before the water goes in.
Ingredients
- 1 kg crab, cleaned and cracked
- 1 onion, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 carrot and 1 stick of celery
- Bay leaf, cumin, black pepper, salt
- Fresh coriander and lemon juice
Method
1.Clean the crab
Wash the crab well under running water, remove the top shell and the gills, and crack the legs so the flavour can get out into the soup.
2.Fry it off
Fry the onion and garlic in oil, add the crab and stir for 5 to 7 minutes until the shell colours. This step is where the flavour comes from.
3.The broth
Add the tomato paste, carrot, celery and bay leaf, then 2 litres of hot water. Bring it to the boil and skim off the foam that rises.
4.Simmer
Lower the heat and give it 25 to 30 minutes, adjusting the salt, cumin and pepper in the last 10 minutes.
5.Serve
Strain the soup if you prefer it smooth, or serve it with the crab in. Scatter fresh coriander and squeeze lemon over it just before serving.
Tips
- Do not let the soup boil hard for long: the crab meat breaks up and goes stringy.
- Fresh crab feels heavy in the hand and stays closed. A light one has little meat in it.
How to order it from us
Ask for the crab cleaned; we wash and prepare it before delivery.
What this recipe uses
Questions about this recipe
Live crab or prepared?
Prepared is far easier at home, and we prepare it for you. What matters is that it is fresh and heavy; it does not have to be live for the soup to be good.
Can I add shrimp?
Yes, and small shrimp suits it very well. Add it in the last three minutes only so it does not toughen.
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Order the ingredients
Order any time and it arrives the next day, cleaned and cut the way you asked.