• Healthy

Ingredients

LIME-CORIANDER BROTH

1. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2. 1 onion, thinly sliced
3. 1 small celery rib, thinly sliced
4. 2 garlic cloves, smashed
5. One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, smashed
6. 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
7. 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
8. 6 cardamom pods, crushed
9. 1/2 star anise pod
10. 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
11. 10 cilantro sprigs
12. 2 basil sprigs
13. 2 kaffir lime leaves (see Note)
14. 1/2 cup dry white wine
15. 1/4 cup Asian fish sauce
16. 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
17. 2 cups water
18. Kosher salt

SNAPPER AND SPICED CRAB

1. 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2. 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds (from 12 pods)
3. 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
4. 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
5. 1 star anise pod, broken
6. 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
7. 1 small red onion, finely chopped
8. 1/2 pound lump crabmeat, picked over
9. 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
10. 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
11. 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
12. Salt and freshly ground pepper
13. Six 5-ounce red snapper fillets

Directions

1. MAKE THE LIME-CORIANDER BROTH: Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion, celery, garlic and ginger and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the coriander seeds, crushed red pepper, cardamom, star anise, peppercorns, cilantro and basil sprigs and lime leaves and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook over moderate heat until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the fish sauce, lime juice and water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat for 15 minutes. Strain the broth into a small saucepan, season with salt; keep warm.
2. PREPARE THE SNAPPER AND SPICED CRAB: In a small skillet, combine the cumin, cardamom, coriander, fennel and star anise and toast over moderately high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a spice grinder and let cool, then grind to a fine powder.
3. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the ground spices and cook over low heat for 1 minute. Fold in the crabmeat, cilantro and lemon and lime juices and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper.
4. In each of 2 large nonstick skillets, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the remaining oil until shimmering. Season the snapper with salt and pepper; add to the skillets, skin side down. Cook over high heat, gently shaking the skillet, until the skin is golden brown and crisp, 5 minutes. Flip the fillets and cook for 2 minutes longer.
5. Mound the spiced crab mixture in warmed shallow bowls and top with the snapper fillets, skin side up. Spoon the broth all around and serve right away.

Make Ahead

The broth can be refrigerated overnight and reheated gently.

Notes

You can substitute two 1-inch strips of lime zest for the kaffir lime leaves.