Crispy and Delicious Blog

Singapore Chilli Crab

Chili crab is a seafood dish originating from Singapore. It was created in 1950 by Singaporean chef, Madam Cher Yam Tian with her husband, Mr Lim Choon Ngee. The couple ran Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant on Upper East Coast Road (near the present day East Coast Seafood Centre).

Mud crabs are commonly used and are stir-fried in a semi-thick, sweet and savoury tomato and chilli based sauce. It can be widely found at Malaysian and Singaporean seafood hawker stalls, kopi tiams or restaurants. Despite its name, chili crab is not a very spicy dish.

Ingredients (for three greedy foodies):
- 15 medium sized tomatoes
- one teacup of chicken or seafood stock (can cheat by using stock cubes that doesn’t contain MSG)
- two meat crabs or roe crabs. About 800 grams to 1kg each(alive, fresh and kicking)
- three teaspoonful of chilli paste (or dry chilli powder)
- one teaspoon of seafood masala spice (buy it on Asian Food store)
- four teaspoons of coconut milk (the thick versions from packs will do)
- two big onions, cut into rings
- two eggs, beaten
- two sprigs of spring onions, chopped
- fresh red chilli, score lengthwise and de-seed, for presentation

Method:
- cut crabs and steam it for 15 minutes, meanwhile
- score the tomatoes and boil it for 10 mins, remove, cool and skin it
- blend the skin-less tomatoes till it still has some rough bits to it, set aside
- now fry some chopped garlic, onions with oil till fragrant, and immediately
- add three spoons of chili paste and fry till fragrance permeate
- pour the tomato sauce and stock in
- now add the steamed crabs, masala spices and coconut milk and toss for 1.5mins
- salt and sugar to taste (very little or none needed)
- spread the beaten eggs over and quickly stir for 10 secs
- bless it with chopped spring onions and serve with cut chilli flower topping (optional)

Eat and enjoy it with roti to dip, and a good Chardonnay!

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