Recipe - Beer Battered Soft-Shell Crabs With Asian Dipping Sauce

=== BEER BATTER ===
1 cup All purpose flour (scant);
plus extra
For dusting
12 ounce Beer; reserving 4 oz
To thin batter if necessary
=== SAUCE ===
3 tablespoon Fresh lime juice
3 tablespoon Thai fish sauce; (nam plo)
(available at speciality or
Asian markets)
1 tablespoon Honey
3 tablespoon Water
2 Garlic cloves; minced
1 Scallion; thinly cut or sliced up
2 sl Habenero; Scotch bonnet, or
jalapeno
Chile; (very thin slices),
see * Note
=== CRABS ===
4 md Softshell crabs; cleaned,
rinsed
Milk; for soaking crabs
Salt; to taste
Freshlyground black pepper;
to taste
Peanut oil; for frying
=== GARNISH ===
Scallion brushes
Cilantro sprigs
Lime wedges

* Note: Select chile type depending on desired degree of heat wanted.

Put the flour into a bowl and make a well in the center. Pour 1 cup
of the beer into the well and whisk until the mixture is just
combined. Strain the batter through a sieve into a clean bowl and let
it rest, covered, for 1 hour. Before using batter, whisk in
additional beer, if necessary, to achieve desired consistency. In a
small bowl whisk together the lime juice, fish sauce and honey until
dissolved. Add the water, garlic, scallion and chili slices. Set
aside. Clean the softshell crabs by first cutting away the eyes and
mouth. Lift up the top side flaps and pull out the feathery gills.
Turn the crab over and fold back the tail flap, also called the
apron, and pull away from the body and discard. Place crabs in a
shallow dish and add enough milk to cover. Soak crabs for 10 to 15
minutes. In a heavy deep pan heat 2 inches of peanut oil to 350
degrees. Season the crabs with salt and pepper. Dust the crabs with
flour, shaking off any excess. Coat and fry crabs two at a time. Dip
each crab into the beer batter and allow extra batter to drip back
into bowl. Carefully lower the crabs into the heated oil and fry
until golden brown, turning once, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer
fried crabs to paper towels to drain. Repeat process with remaining
two crabs. Arrange crabs on individual serving plates. Garnish with
scallion brushes, cilantro sprigs and lime wedges. Serve immediately
with dipping sauce on the side. This recipe yields 4