Singaporean Chili Crab Flavor (Printable Version)

Tangy and spicy crab simmered with chilies, tomato, and aromatic herbs. Perfect with steamed buns or rice.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

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

→ Sauce Base

02 - 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 5 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 3 red chilies, deseeded and chopped
06 - 2 birds eye chilies, chopped (adjust to taste)
07 - 2 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced (about 0.8 inch)

→ Sauce

08 - 1 cup tomato ketchup
09 - 2 tablespoons chili sauce (such as Sriracha or sambal oelek)
10 - 1 tablespoon sugar
11 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
12 - 1 teaspoon fish sauce
13 - 1 cup chicken or seafood stock
14 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
15 - 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

→ Garnish

16 - 2 spring onions, sliced
17 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
18 - Lime wedges, for serving

# How To Make:

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 - Add minced garlic, ginger, red chilies, and birds eye chilies. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Add crab pieces and toss to coat in the aromatics. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until shells start turning red.
04 - Pour in tomato ketchup, chili sauce, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, and stock. Stir well to combine the mixture.
05 - Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, turning crab occasionally until fully cooked.
06 - Stir in cornstarch slurry to thicken sauce slightly and continue simmering briefly.
07 - Slowly drizzle beaten eggs into the bubbling sauce while stirring gently to form silky egg ribbons.
08 - Remove from heat. Garnish with sliced spring onions, chopped cilantro, and serve immediately with lime wedges alongside steamed buns or rice.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce clings to every crevice of the crab, making it impossible to stop eating.
  • It's messy and theatrical enough to turn dinner into an experience.
  • That silky egg ribbon swirled through the sauce is pure comfort disguised as sophistication.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the crab or it becomes stringy and tough—15 minutes total cooking time is the absolute maximum.
  • The egg ribbons only work if you add them to bubbling sauce and stir gently; too vigorous and they become scrambled instead of silky.
  • Live crabs must be alive before cooking, so keep them chilled and cook them the same day you buy them.
03 -
  • If you prefer less heat, remove the seeds from the red chilies and use just one birds eye chili instead of two—the sauce will still be delicious.
  • Seafood stock elevates this dish noticeably, but chicken stock works if that's all you have.
  • Don't be tempted to substitute the beaten eggs with cornstarch alone—the eggs add a richness and silky texture that cornstarch cannot replicate.
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