Singapore Chilli Crab

This Singapore Chilli Crab recipe from Elizabeth Haigh isn’t particularly spicy but more sweet and saucy. Elizabeth loves mopping up the sauce with bread or rice. She always selects male cock crabs, because she loves the meatier claws, but female hen’s also have wonderful roe that provide even more sweetness to the dish. Make sure they are cleaned and scrubbed well with a wire brush to remove dirt.

Ingredients

2 tbsp cooking oil
1kg – 1.2kg Brown “cock” crab
300-500ml chicken stock or water (depending on size of crab)

For the rempah

6 red chilli, topped and deseeded (optional)
50g ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 banana shallots, peeled and sliced roughly
8 garlic cloves, peeled

For the crab sauce

1 tbsp Fermented soybean paste (taucu, optional)
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
4 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tsp chilli powder (to taste)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground white pepper

1 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp water
2 eggs, beaten
Fresh coriander, to garnish

Method

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Check the crab is cleaned well with a clean brush and sponge to ensure there’s no impurities. Remove the gills and split the crab into quarters, crack the claws and body to help cook evenly and set aside.
In a food processor or pestle and mortar, blend the spice paste ingredients together into a paste. Heat the oil in a wok or large sauté pan on a medium heat and cook the paste for a couple of minutes stirring continuously, then add the crab into the pan. Mix well until it’s well coated.
In a separate bowl, mix all the crab sauce ingredients together then add to the pan with the crab. Stir well, and cook for a minute or two, then add the chicken stock or water in to cover the crab. Bring to a gentle simmer, and cover with a lid and cook for 5-8 minutes or until the crab is cooked through. This will depend on the size of the crab.
Whisk the water, cornflour and beaten eggs together and add to the pan and stir until it thickens, about 1 minute. Season with salt and ground white pepper. Carefully using tongs, place each piece of the crab onto a deep platter, then pour the sauce all over the top.
Garnish with spring onion and serve immediately with plenty of napkins. Take care when eating the sauce as it may have shards of shell in.

Ingredients

2 tbsp cooking oil
1kg – 1.2kg Brown “cock” crab
300-500ml chicken stock or water (depending on size of crab)

For the rempah

6 red chilli, topped and deseeded (optional)
50g ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 banana shallots, peeled and sliced roughly
8 garlic cloves, peeled

For the crab sauce

1 tbsp Fermented soybean paste (taucu, optional)
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
4 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tsp chilli powder (to taste)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground white pepper

1 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp water
2 eggs, beaten
Fresh coriander, to garnish

Method

Check the crab is cleaned well with a clean brush and sponge to ensure there’s no impurities. Remove the gills and split the crab into quarters, crack the claws and body to help cook evenly and set aside.
In a food processor or pestle and mortar, blend the spice paste ingredients together into a paste. Heat the oil in a wok or large sauté pan on a medium heat and cook the paste for a couple of minutes stirring continuously, then add the crab into the pan. Mix well until it’s well coated.
In a separate bowl, mix all the crab sauce ingredients together then add to the pan with the crab. Stir well, and cook for a minute or two, then add the chicken stock or water in to cover the crab. Bring to a gentle simmer, and cover with a lid and cook for 5-8 minutes or until the crab is cooked through. This will depend on the size of the crab.
Whisk the water, cornflour and beaten eggs together and add to the pan and stir until it thickens, about 1 minute. Season with salt and ground white pepper. Carefully using tongs, place each piece of the crab onto a deep platter, then pour the sauce all over the top.
Garnish with spring onion and serve immediately with plenty of napkins. Take care when eating the sauce as it may have shards of shell in.