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Chilli Crab

Name: Chilli Crab
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Singaporean
Ingredients: 1.5 kg Mud crab (cleaned and jointed); 150 ml Tomato ketchup; 3 tbsp Sambal paste; 4 pieces Fresh red chillies; 8 cloves Garlic; 40 g Ginger; 2 pieces Eggs; 2 tbsp Sugar; 2 tbsp Rice vinegar; 300 ml Chicken stock; 2 tbsp Cornflour; 8 pieces Mantou buns; 80 ml Vegetable oil; 20 g Coriander; To taste Salt

Chilli Crab is a classic Singaporean main that holds a distinguished place in traditional cooking. Celebrated for its wholesome ingredients and time-honored preparation, this dish brings authentic regional character to the home kitchen.

Carefully prepared featuring Mud crab (cleaned and jointed), Tomato ketchup, Sambal paste, Fresh red chillies, Garlic, Ginger, Eggs, Rice vinegar, Chicken stock, Cornflour, Mantou buns and Coriander, the ingredients are simmered and seasoned to achieve a satisfying depth of flavor. The cooking process allows natural aromas to develop, ensuring each portion is both hearty and flavorful.

Serve hot alongside fresh bread, steamed grains, or a crisp seasonal salad for a well-rounded dining experience.

If you enjoy authentic Singaporean cooking, be sure to also explore our recipe for Hainanese Chicken Rice.

Difficulty: mediumPrep: 30 minCook: 25 minServes 4

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Ingredients

Mud crab (cleaned and jointed)1.5 kg
Tomato ketchup150 ml
Sambal paste3 tbsp
Fresh red chillies4 pieces
Garlic8 cloves
Ginger40 g
Eggs2 pieces
Sugar2 tbsp
Rice vinegar2 tbsp
Chicken stock300 ml
Cornflour2 tbsp
Mantou buns8 pieces
Vegetable oil80 ml
Coriander20 g
SaltTo taste

Step-by-Step Instructions

7 steps

Interactive Cook Mode: Click any step or circle to check it off as you cook.

Step 1

Joint the crab: lift the shell, cut the body into four and crack the claws with the back of a knife.

Step 2🍳 Fry

Pound the garlic, ginger and chillies to a paste and fry it in oil for three minutes, until fragrant.

Step 3

Add the sambal, ketchup, sugar and vinegar and cook two minutes, until the sauce darkens.

Step 4

Pour in the stock, bring it up and add the crab pieces. Cover and cook eight minutes.

Step 5🥄 Mix

Slake the cornflour in cold water and stir it in to thicken the sauce.

Step 6

Turn off the heat and pour in the beaten eggs in a thin stream, stirring once in a circle.

Step 7✨ Serve

Scatter with coriander and serve with the fried mantou.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Culinary Notes

Cultural Heritage

Chilli Crab carries a rich culinary tradition rooted in regional home cooking. Developed over generations, the recipe highlights wholesome local ingredients prepared with time-honored kitchen techniques.

Dietary Substitutions

If you need to accommodate dietary restrictions, mud crab (cleaned and jointed) can be substituted with an equivalent volume of seasonal vegetables, legumes, or a protein alternative of your preference.

Chef Technique Tips

Season in stages rather than all at once at the end. Salting components as they cook draws out excess moisture, intensifies natural sugars, and builds harmonious depth of flavor throughout the dish.

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