Singaporean Chili Crab (Print Version)

Tender crab cooked in a vibrant tangy, spicy, and slightly sweet chili tomato sauce.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 2 whole live mud crabs (approximately 3.3 lbs 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 fresh ginger, peeled and minced

→ Sauce

08 - ½ cup tomato ketchup
09 - 2 tablespoons chili sauce (e.g., 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 cook for 2 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, ginger, red chilies, and birds eye chilies. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Add crab pieces and toss with aromatics. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until shells turn red.
04 - Pour in tomato ketchup, chili sauce, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, and stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, turning crab occasionally until cooked through.
05 - Add cornstarch slurry and stir to thicken sauce slightly.
06 - Slowly drizzle beaten eggs into the bubbling sauce while stirring gently to form silky egg ribbons.
07 - Remove from heat. Garnish with sliced spring onions and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges and steamed mantou or rice.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce is addictively tangy and spicy without being one-dimensional, each spoonful revealing new layers of flavor.
  • It's restaurant-quality food that comes together in under an hour, which feels like a small magic trick every single time.
  • Eating this dish forces you to slow down and use your hands, turning a meal into an experience.
02 -
  • Don't skip deseeding at least some of the chilies; I learned this the hard way when a well-intentioned batch became so fiery that guests couldn't taste the nuanced flavors beneath the heat.
  • The cornstarch slurry is what transforms the sauce from brothy to clingy and luxurious—without it, the sauce will run right off the crab and pool at the bottom of the dish.
  • Add the eggs at the very end, and never stop stirring gently as they hit the hot sauce; this creates ribbons instead of scrambled bits.
03 -
  • If you're cooking for guests with varying heat tolerance, prepare the base sauce without the birds eye chilies and let people add their own—this way everyone gets a version they can enjoy.
  • The sauce can be made ahead and reheated gently just before serving, though the crabs should always be cooked fresh and the eggs added at the very last moment.
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