Description
Experience the vibrant and bold flavors of Singapore with this homemade Savory Singapore Chili Crab recipe. This dish features succulent crab coated in a fragrant, spicy, and slightly sweet chili sauce, simmered to perfection and served with buttery fried bao dough mantou, perfect for soaking up every bit of the delicious sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Crab and Preparation
- 1 whole crab (cleaned, base flap removed, head separated, gills removed, cut into 6 parts)
Spice Paste
- 5 cloves garlic
- 11 g fresh ginger
- 2 shallots (quantity inferred for spice paste)
- 2 red chillies (quantity inferred for spice paste)
- 1 tsp shrimp paste (belacan)
- 2 tbsp ketchup
Sauce Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 1 ½ cups tomato puree
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- ½ cup sweet chili sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp palm sugar
- 2 chopped spring onions (quantity inferred)
- 1 egg (for finishing sauce)
Garnish
- 1 bunch fresh coriander (cilantro)
Side
- Fried bao dough mantou (quantity as desired)
Instructions
- Prepare the crab: Remove the base flap and pull off the crab’s head. Clean out the cavity thoroughly, removing the gills for a cleaner taste, and keep the head in a bowl.
- Cut the crab: Slice the crab in half down the middle, then divide each half into three parts to make six pieces total. Crack the legs slightly to allow the flavors to permeate during cooking. Add all crab pieces and the head to a bowl and set aside.
- Make the spice paste: Using a food processor, combine shallots, ginger, red chillies, garlic, ketchup, and shrimp paste. Pulse until you achieve a smooth, aromatic paste primed to infuse the crab with intense flavor.
- Cook the spice paste: Heat cooking oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the prepared chili paste and sauté for about five minutes, stirring occasionally until the paste is fragrant and slightly darkened, unlocking its rich aroma.
- Coat the crab: Gently place the crab pieces into the wok with the spice paste, stirring well to ensure every piece is thoroughly coated. Cook for roughly five minutes until the crab turns a bright orange, indicating it is starting to cook through.
- Add the sauce ingredients: Pour in the tomato puree, chicken stock, rice wine vinegar, sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, and palm sugar. Stir to combine all ingredients evenly, then cover the wok and let it simmer for 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Plate the crab: Carefully remove the crab legs and head from the wok and arrange them attractively on a shallow serving dish, showcasing their vibrant, spicy coating.
- Finish the sauce: Into the wok, add butter, chopped spring onions, and the egg. Let the egg settle for one minute before stirring it in to create a silky, thickened sauce that beautifully coats the crab.
- Serve and garnish: Drizzle the luscious sauce over the plated crab. Garnish generously with fresh coriander for a burst of color and fresh flavor. Serve immediately with fried bao dough mantou on the side to soak up the sumptuous sauce.
Notes
- Fresh ingredients like garlic, ginger, and coriander greatly enhance the dish’s vibrant flavor.
- Cracking the crab legs before cooking helps the sauce penetrate better.
- Adjust the amount of red chillies based on your preferred spice level.
- Using shrimp paste (belacan) is essential for authentic Southeast Asian flavor but can be omitted for a milder taste.
- Fried mantou buns are perfect for serving as they absorb the succulent sauce wonderfully.
- Simmering the crab gently prevents it from overcooking and becoming tough.
