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Singapore chilli crab in a oval plate with a bowl of rice and claypot in background

Singapore Chilli Crab Recipe and Video

Azlin Bloor
Ever wondered how to cook Singapore Chilli Crab? Here I show you how to cook this iconic recipe in your own home, with accompanying video.
4.99 from 56 votes
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Course Main Course with Rice
Cuisine Singaporean Chinese
Servings 4
Calories 195 kcal

Equipment

  • bowl
  • strainer
  • knife
  • chopping board
  • A large wok with lid.

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 Tbsp tamarind see how to prepare below
  • 4 Tbsp water (for the tamarind)
  • 2 live medium sized crabs total weight about 2 kg (4.4 lb) if you can only get cooked, that's fine too
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tomatoes quartered
  • 125 ml water
  • 2 Tbsp tomato ketchup
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp white sugar (if you need it)
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • 1 small handful fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
  • 1 small handful chives chopped
Grind to a paste
  • 1 medium onion
  • 3 red Thai or any bird's eye chillies
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 5 cm fresh ginger
  • 2 Tbsp taucheo (soybean paste) or use same amount of hoisin sauce (found in supermarkets)

Instructions
 

To prepare the tamarind

  • Soak the tamarind pulp in the water for 10-20 minutes. The hotter the water, the less time you need.
    2 Tbsp tamarind, 4 Tbsp water (for the tamarind)
  • After the soaking time, give it all good mix, squeezing the pulp with your fingers, then strain through a medium or large mesh sieve. Discard the seeds and pulp.

Let's prep the crabs

  • If your crabs have been kept in the fridge, they should be dopey, hardly moving and easy to handle. Still, watch out for the claws if they've not been tied up. Turn the crab over and locate the pointy flap. Lift it, and you'll see a small hole.
    2 live medium sized crabs
  • Using a sharp, pointy knife or screwdriver, plunge it straight through until you touch the shell on the other side. This should kill it instantly.
  • Flip the crab over, drain the yucky liquid and give it a rinse under running water. You can halve it and separate the legs and claws if you like, especially if your crabs are large. You'll see in the video that it's easier to fit them into the wok to cook, when they are large.

Let's get cooking

  • Heat the oil in a large wok and fry the paste ingredients until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
    2 Tbsp vegetable oil, 1 medium onion, 3 red Thai or any bird's eye chillies, 3 cloves garlic, 5 cm fresh ginger, 2 Tbsp taucheo
  • Add the tomatoes, water, ketchup, salt, tamarind, then crabs and give it all a good stir. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes until the crabs are done.
    2 tomatoes, 2 Tbsp tomato ketchup, 125 ml water, ½ tsp salt
  • Taste and add more salt if needed. If you find the sauce too spicy, add some sugar.
    ½ tsp white sugar
  • Add the egg and gently mix it in for 20 seconds, and turn the heat off and take the wok off the heat. The egg doesn’t want very long as you want wisps of it, not scrambled bits.
    1 egg
  • Garnish with the herbs and serve with rice.
    1 small handful fresh coriander leaves, 1 small handful chives

Nutrition

Serving: 1crabCalories: 195kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 12gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 847mgPotassium: 479mgFiber: 2gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 773IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 1mg
Keyword seafood, singapore recipes
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