Wok-Fried Mud Crab with Chilli Tamarind Caramel

Ingredients

• 1 live mud crab (about 900gm)
• 300 ml fish stock
• 1 bunch gai lan, coarsely chopped
• 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 20 garlic chives (about ½ bunch)
• Juice of 2 limes, or to taste
• To taste: fish sauce
• 25 gm (½ cup) fried shallots
• 1 bunch sawtooth coriander, torn (see note)
• To serve: coriander leaves and steamed jasmine rice
• Chilli-tamarind caramel
• 5 long red chillies, halved lengthways, seeds removed
• 4 golden shallots, coarsely chopped
• 4 coriander roots, scrubbed
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 60 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil
• 190 gm light palm sugar, crushed
• 2 tbsp tamarind pulp, or to taste