Ingredients

• 2–3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 star anise
• 3 tbsp roughly chopped cashew nuts
• 2 thin green chillies
• finely chopped
• 5cm/2in piece fresh root ginger
• peeled and finely chopped
• 2 spring onions
• finely chopped
• 500ml/18fl oz hot light chicken stock
• 2–3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 heaped tbsp cornflour blended with 50ml/2fl oz water
• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
• salt and ground white pepper
• sunflower oil
• for deep frying
• 250–300g/9–10½oz crabmeat
• 1 free-range egg
• 200g/7oz cornflour
• 1–2 thin green chillies
• finely chopped
• 1 spring onion
• finely chopped
• 5cm/2in piece fresh root ginger
• peeled and finely chopped
• 1–2 tbsp fresh coriander
• finely chopped
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• ½ tsp crushed black pepper
• 6–8 langoustine tails
• peeled and deveined
• 3 tbsp cornflour

Directions

• To make the sauce
• heat the oil in a wok over a high heat. Add the star anise then the cashew nuts
• stirring all the time so they don’t burn. As soon as the cashews are golden-brown add the chilli
• ginger and spring onions and stir-fry until the onions are soft. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Add the soy sauce and season to taste.
• Stir in the cornflour mixture and keep stirring until the sauce thickens and there are no lumps. (You may need to add more cornflour
• if the sauce doesn’t thicken.) Stir in the coriander and pour into a serving bowl.
• Heat the oil in a wok or deep-fat fryer to 150C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
• To make the fritters
• put the crabmeat in a bowl and mash it up as best you can
• mixing it well. If using only white meat you will need to break it down completely.
• Mix all the remaining ingredients together well until you have a thick batter. Drop a teaspoon of the mixture in the oil and fry until golden brown on all sides. Drain on kitchen paper and then taste to check the seasoning
• add more salt and pepper to the batter as required. Fry spoonfuls of the remaining batter
• in batches
• being careful not to overcrowd the pan.
• Increase the temperature of the oil to 200C.
• Season the langoustine tails and roll them in cornflour. Drop them into the oil and fry until pink and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper.
• To serve
• divide the fritters between serving plates and pour over the sauce. Top with the langoustines and serve with fried rice.