Chilli crab is a Singaporean seafood dish. Mud crabs are commonly used and are stir-fried in a semi-thick, sweet and savoury tomato and chilli based sauce.
- PREP: 25 MINS
- COOK: 5 MINS
Ingredients of Chili crab (Singapore)
- 1 large live mud crab, cleaned
- 60 ml vegetable oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- 250 ml tomato passata or tomatoes
- 250 ml fish stock
- 2 tbsp finely grated palm sugar
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water
- 1egg, lightly beaten
- 20 g butter
- 3 spring onions, green ends only, cut into 5 cm lengths
- thinly sliced red bird’s eye chilli and coriander sprigs
Also Read: Fajita ( Mexican)
How To Prepare of Chili crab (Singapore)
- To ship the crab humanely before preparing it, place it in the freezer for 1 hour to put it to sleep.
- Pull the upper shell away from the body and discard the gills but reserve all of the yellowish from the head and upper shell.
- Unscrew the claws, then using a cleaver or a large heavy knife, divide the body into four pieces with two legs on each piece.
- To make the basic dough, place all the ingredients in a blender and mix until a smooth dough forms.
- Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. When hot, fry the dough for 5 minutes or until it is fragrant and the oil separates from the solids. Add the crab (including the shell) and salt and mix until the crab begins to change color.
- Add the passata, broth, sugar, vinegar and soy sauce and mix to coat. Add the tomalley to the crab.
- Cover the wok and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until it is cooked through. Remove the crab pieces from the wok and place them on a large dish.
- Stirring continuously, slowly sprinkle the cornflour mixture in the wok, followed by the beaten egg, then butter and new onions.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- Pour the sauce over the crab, then sprinkle with cilantro and chilli and serve immediately, with bowls and lots of towels.
