Singaporean Chili Crab Dish (Printable)

Tangy spicy crabs cooked in rich tomato chili sauce with aromatics, ideal alongside steamed buns or fluffy rice.

# What You’ll Use:

→ Seafood

01 - 2 whole live mud crabs (approximately 3.3 lbs total), cleaned and cut into pieces

→ Sauce Base

02 - 3 tbsp vegetable oil
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 5 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 3 red chilies, deseeded and chopped
06 - 2 bird's eye chilies, chopped (adjust to taste)
07 - 0.8 in piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

→ Sauce

08 - 8.5 fl oz tomato ketchup
09 - 2 tbsp chili sauce (e.g., Sriracha or sambal oelek)
10 - 1 tbsp sugar
11 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
12 - 1 tsp fish sauce
13 - 8.5 fl oz chicken or seafood stock
14 - 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water
15 - 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

→ Garnish

16 - 2 spring onions, sliced
17 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
18 - Lime wedges, to serve

# How-To:

01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large wok or deep pan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 2 minutes until softened.
02 - Incorporate minced garlic, fresh ginger, red chilies, and bird's eye chilies. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Add crab pieces to the pan, tossing to coat in the aromatics. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until shells start to turn red.
04 - Pour in tomato ketchup, chili sauce, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, and stock. Stir thoroughly to blend flavors.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, turning crab occasionally until cooked through.
06 - Stir in cornstarch slurry to slightly thicken the sauce.
07 - Slowly drizzle beaten eggs into bubbling sauce while stirring gently to form silky egg ribbons.
08 - Remove from heat. Garnish with spring onions, chopped cilantro, and serve immediately with lime wedges and steamed mantou or rice.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce coats every crevice of tender crab meat in a symphony of tangy, spicy, and sweet that makes you reach for just one more piece.
  • It's messy, interactive, and unapologetically indulgent—the kind of meal that strips away formality and brings people together.
  • Once you master the base, you'll find yourself making it whenever you want to impress or simply treat yourself to something extraordinary.
02 -
  • Don't skip the fish sauce—I nearly did the first time because the smell alarmed me, but removing it would be like removing salt from French fries.
  • The sauce will taste aggressively salty and spicy before you add the eggs and stock; this is correct and will balance out as everything cooks together.
  • Live crabs are traditional but unsettling; if you'd rather skip the ethical dilemma, ask your fishmonger for already-killed and cleaned crab, which works just as well and cooks in the same time.
03 -
  • If your sauce tastes too acidic, a tiny pinch more sugar will mellow it; if it's too flat, a splash more fish sauce will wake it up—seasoning is forgiving once you understand how each ingredient pulls the flavor in different directions.
  • Make the aromatics base an hour ahead if you want to impress people without panicking; just reheat gently when you're ready to add the crabs and sauce.
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