Singaporean Chili Crab (Printable)

A vibrant whole crab dish in a tangy, spicy tomato chili sauce, garnished with herbs and lime.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

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

→ Sauce Base

02 - 3 tbsp 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 - 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced

→ Sauce

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

→ Garnish

16 - 2 spring onions, sliced
17 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
18 - Lime wedges, to serve

# Directions:

01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large wok or deep pan over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion for 2 minutes until softened.
02 - Add minced garlic, ginger, red chilies, and birds eye chilies. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until aromatic.
03 - Add crab pieces and toss to coat in 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 to combine thoroughly.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, turning crab occasionally until cooked through.
06 - Stir in cornstarch slurry to slightly thicken the sauce.
07 - Slowly drizzle beaten eggs into 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 and steamed mantou or rice.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce clings to every piece of crab, balancing heat, sweetness, and tang in a way that keeps you coming back for just one more piece.
  • Those silky egg ribbons transform the whole dish into something almost luxurious without any pretension.
02 -
  • Crab pieces vary in size, so stir occasionally during simmering to make sure the smaller pieces don't overcook while you wait for the larger claws to become tender.
  • The beaten eggs need to go in slowly and with gentle stirring or they'll turn into scrambled egg chunks instead of silky ribbons—this is the move that separates restaurant-quality from home cooking.
03 -
  • Buy your crabs as close to cooking time as possible and ask the fishmonger to clean and cut them for you—it saves time and they're professionals at it.
  • The egg ribbons are what elevate this from good to restaurant-quality, so don't skip that step or rush it.
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