Singapore Chilli Crab
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Servings
3 - 4 people
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Course
Main Course
Singapore Chilli Crab
Description
Singapore Chilli Crab features large mud crab pieces cooked in a complex sauce built from a fiery chili paste containing fresh red cayenne chilis, fermented taucu paste, garlic, shallots, and ginger. The base of the sauce includes flavorsome belacan (fermented shrimp paste), tomato passata, sweet chili sauce, and ketchup, combined with water and brightened with white vinegar.
The cooking method involves sautéing the belacan to develop its pungent aroma, followed by cooking the chili paste and then simmering the sauce with crab pieces, starting with the claws for even cooking. Lightly whisked egg white is added toward the end to thicken and enrich the sauce, which results in a glossy, velvety texture packed with savory, spicy, and tangy notes.
Typically garnished with fresh cilantro and sliced green onions, this dish is served alongside golden fried mantou buns. These buns are perfect for dunking into the flavorful sauce. It pairs well with steamed rice and can be adapted by using other seafood like prawns.
Careful preparation of the crab, including reserving the tomalley, enhances the sauce's depth. Leftover sauce freezes well and can be repurposed to flavor other seafood or rice dishes.
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg / 3lb mud crab cut into large portion size pieces and tomalley reserved ("crab mustard") (Note 1, live or other large fresh crab
Chilli paste:
- 5 red cayenne chili , seeds left in, roughly chopped (Note 2)
- 2 tbsp taucu paste (fermeted soy paste, sub miso Note 3)
- 6 garlic small), roughly chopped, cloves
- 2 shallot small), roughly chopped (Note 4, aka eschalots
- 3 tbsp ginger , roughly chopped (~7.5cm / 3" piece)
Singapore Chilli Crab Sauce:
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 tbsp belacan chopped (sub shrimp paste, Note 5, dried shrimp paste
- 1 cup tomato passata (Note 6)
- 1/2 cup sweet chilli sauce
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 cups water
- 1 egg , lightly whisked
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
Garnishes/serving:
- Coriander leaves whole or roughly chopped, fresh
- 2 tbsp green onion , finely sliced (or 1/4 cup finely sliced on angle, ice water 3 minutes for slight curl)
- mantou buns Note 7, golden
Instructions
- Prepare crab: See separate tutorial for how to clean and cut a whole crab. You will end up with: 1) Crab pieces; and 2) Reserved tomalley ("crab mustard", Note 8) and crab juices in a separate bowl. This is a key "secret ingredient" used to flavour the sauce.
- Chilli paste: Place ingredients in a small food processor or Nutribullet. Blitz until it's a fairly smooth paste.
- Sauté belachan: Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add belachan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. It will smell pungent (to put it mildly), but have faith! It will mellow and transform!
- Cook off chilli paste: Add chilli paste and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
- Add tomato passata: Add tomato passata and cook, stirring regularly, for 4 minutes.
- Add remaining sauce ingredients: Add sweet chilli sauce, ketchup, water and stir to combine.
- Add claws: Add the crab claws first (they take longer to cook), stir to coat in sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cover with a lid and cook 3 minutes.
- Add "crab mustard" and juices: Add the reserved tomalley ("crab mustard") along with all the crab juices.
- Add remaining crab pieces: Remove lid, add remaining crab pieces and any juices that have collected in this bowl. Stir pieces to coat, put the lid back on and cook for 7 minutes.
- Remove crab: Use tongs to remove crab pieces into a bowl.
- Egg ribbons: With the sauce still on the stove, and while stirring in a circular motion, pour the egg in a thin stream into the middle of the pot. This will create little ribbons of egg in the sauce that is traditional and look lovely.
- Vinegar: Stir in vinegar.
- Return crab: Return the crab pieces into the pot, gently stir to coat in the sauce.
Plating up and serving:
- Transfer crab pieces into a large serving plate or shallow dish. Pour over all the sauce from the pot. Garnish with coriander and green onion.
- Serve with golden mantou buns (steamed and fried Chinese buns, traditional - Note 7), or homemade brioche (ultimate sub!), baguette, crusty bread or dinner rolls. Alternatively serve with rice on the side.
- How to eat: Be prepared to get messy! Dive in for the claw (the prime piece!). Use crab or nut crackers to break the shell (or a meat tenderiser or hammer - anything to get to that meat!!) and reveal hunks of sweet juicy crab meat. Dunk generously in sauce and devour.
- Leftover Sauce: You will have leftover sauce. It's loaded with flavour so save it, it's precious! See in post for ideas for how to use.
Notes
- Use live or fresh mud crab for the best flavor; reserve the tomalley (crab mustard) and juices to enrich the sauce.
- If you prefer less heat, reduce the amount of chili or remove seeds to decrease spiciness.
- Belacan adds crucial umami; substitute with shrimp paste if needed, but it's best not to omit entirely.
- Golden fried mantou buns are traditional for soaking up the sauce; steamed rice or crusty bread are good alternatives.
- Leftover sauce freezes well for up to three months and can be reused to flavor other seafood dishes or rice.
- This recipe can also be made with prawns, adjusting cooking time accordingly and omitting tomalley.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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