Description

Singapore Chilli Crab is a classic and beloved seafood dish featuring fresh mud crab cooked in a rich, spicy, and tangy chilli-tomato sauce. This recipe combines fermented soybean paste, dried shrimp paste, and fresh chilli to create a bold and aromatic flavour profile. The dish is finished with delicate egg ribbons and served with golden mantou buns or crusty bread, perfect for soaking up the delicious sauce.

Ingredients

Scale

Crab

1.5 kg (3 lb) live mud crab or other large, fresh crab

Chilli Paste

5 red cayenne chilli, seeds left in, roughly chopped
2 tbsp taucu paste (fermented soy paste, substitute miso)
6 small garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 small eschalots, roughly chopped
3 tbsp ginger, roughly chopped (~7.5 cm / 3″ piece)

Sauce

1/4 cup canola oil
1 tbsp belachan dried shrimp paste, chopped (substitute shrimp paste)
1 cup tomato passata
1/2 cup sweet chilli sauce
2 tbsp ketchup
2 cups water
1 egg, lightly whisked
3 tbsp white vinegar

Garnish and Serve

Fresh coriander leaves, whole or roughly chopped
2 tbsp green onion, finely sliced (or 1/4 cup finely sliced on angle, soaked in ice water for 3 minutes for slight curl)
Golden mantou buns (steamed and fried Chinese buns) or alternative bread like brioche, baguette, crusty bread, or dinner rolls

Instructions

Prepare crab: Clean and cut the whole crab into pieces reserving the tomalley (crab mustard) and crab juices in a separate bowl. These will flavor the sauce deeply.
Make chilli paste: In a small food processor, blitz the chilli, taucu paste, garlic, eschalots, and ginger until a fairly smooth paste forms.
Sauté belachan: Heat canola oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped belachan and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Cook chilli paste: Add the chilli paste to the pot and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes to develop flavors.
Add tomato passata: Stir in the tomato passata and cook for 4 minutes, stirring regularly.
Add remaining sauce ingredients: Mix in sweet chilli sauce, ketchup, and water, stirring to combine.
Cook crab claws: Add crab claws first as they need longer cooking time. Stir well to coat in sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 3 minutes.
Add crab mustard and juices: Stir in the reserved tomalley and crab juices to enrich the sauce.
Add remaining crab pieces: Remove lid, add the rest of the crab pieces along with any juices collected in the bowl. Stir to coat, cover again, and cook for 7 minutes.
Remove crab: Use tongs to transfer crab pieces into a bowl, leaving the sauce in the pot.
Create egg ribbons: With sauce simmering, stir in a circular motion and pour whisked egg in a thin stream into the center to create delicate egg ribbons.
Add vinegar: Stir in white vinegar to balance flavors.
Return crab to sauce: Put crab pieces back into the pot, gently stirring to coat them in the sauce.
Plating and garnish: Transfer crab and sauce to a large serving plate or shallow dish. Garnish with fresh coriander and sliced green onion.
Serve: Serve immediately with golden mantou buns or your choice of bread or rice to soak up the flavorful sauce.
How to eat: Prepare for a messy but rewarding meal. Break crab shells with crackers or hammer to reveal juicy meat. Dunk generously in sauce and enjoy.
Save leftover sauce: The leftover sauce is packed with flavor. Save it for other dishes or dipping.

Notes

When cleaning crab, ensure to keep tomalley (crab mustard) and juices for sauce flavor.
Red cayenne chillies can be adjusted for spiciness; keeping seeds maximizes heat.
If taucu paste is unavailable, miso is a suitable substitute though flavor will differ slightly.
Eschalots add sweetness and depth; substitute with shallots if needed.
Belachan shrimp paste is pungent but essential for authentic taste; use shrimp paste if unavailable.
Tomato passata provides smooth tomato flavor; canned crushed tomatoes can be used as an alternative.
Golden mantou buns are traditional but any soft bread works well to soak sauce.
Tomalley is a prized ingredient adding umami; discard if sensitive or allergic.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Seafood
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Singaporean

Keywords: Singapore chilli crab, mud crab recipe, spicy crab, seafood main dish, Asian seafood recipe