Tamarind crab

It's Dungeness crab season here which makes for some very easy, but tasty dinners. The sauce on this is sweet, salty, and sour. It absorbs nicely into the meat (and on your fingers while you try to get meat out of those little legs) without overpowering the crab.

One year ago: Pureed Beets with Yogurt and Za'atar
Two years ago: Butternut Squash Pie
Three years ago: Pad Thai
Four years ago: Spinach Quiche

Tamarind Crab (from Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table)

Ingredients
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 shallots, minced
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 fresh Dungeness crab, cleaned, cut into 4 or 6 pieces, tomalley reserved
2 - 3 tbsp tamarind pulp, juiced
1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 scallions, cut into 2" lengths
5 sprigs cilantro, cut into 2" lengths

1. Place oil in a large skillet and heat over high. Add shallots and garlic and stir until fragrant, 10 seconds.
2. Add crab tomalley, reduce heat slightly, and stir for 2 minutes.
3. Add crab, tamarind juice, fish sauce, and sugar. Stir so crab is well coated.
4. Simmer until crab is cooked, ~10 minutes.
5. Stir in scallions, transfer to serving plates, and garnish with cilantro.