Fried Crablets

I know, I know, I have always been a proponent of healthy food. Our family food motto actually is "Life is too short to eat bad food." And guiltily, what I am showing you today something that is not actually healthy!!! Full of cholesterol! Arrrgh! Please stop my conscience from throwing darts at me!!!

How can I resist these cute crablets? I purposefully added my chubby finger in the picture so you will have an idea on how small these baby crabs are. Around 1 inch body width, plus a little more for the legs. Actually, they were cute little lumps when they were not yet cooked, but not photogenic, so I omitted the picture :).

These crablets are usually offered in restaurants around Manila, but I never found them in the markets. So, I have never cooked them myself. Imagine my surprise when I found them in the Suki Market in Quezon City. A friend referred me to this market when I was lamenting the lack of native chickens, Chinese vegetables and live seafood in our area. (These are easily available in downtown Manila's Chinatown where the traffic congestion is pretty famous.) Maybe this market can be a subject for Gay's To Market to Market event. But that is another story... :)

So, I brought them home and cooked them just the way the restaurants cook them - fried, as appetizers, dipped in our favorite organic coconut vinegar with chilli (siling labuyo/chilli padi). I console myself with the thought that I am using organic vinegar anyway. So, this dish is partly healthy, right? Crispy, salty, flavored with spicy and sourish vinegar - YUM!


1/2 Kilo crablets
garlic salt and freshly ground pepper
sprinkling of flour
cooking oil


1. Wash the crablets well. I removed the outer shell, as they will be tough to chew, and remove the inedible organs. Drip thorougly in a colander and later dry with kitchen towels.

2. Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper. Sprinkle with a little flour.

3. In a pan, heat up the oil. When hot, fry up the crablets, one batch at a time. It cooks very fast, it will not take long. Immediately dish up and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.

4. Serve with vinegar/chilli dip on the side.