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Singapore chili crab in tomato-chili egg sauce with steamed mantou.

Singapore Chili Crab

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Singapore-style crab in a savory-sweet tomato-chili sauce enriched with egg and served with mantou.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Singaporean
Calories: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
 
 

Crab
  • 2 whole mud crabs cleaned and quartered, about 3 1/2 lb total
  • 3 tbsp neutral oil
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger finely grated
  • 2 whole red chiles finely chopped
Sauce and Serve
  • 1 cup tomato ketchup
  • 1/3 cup Asian chili sauce
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 cup seafood or chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 3 whole scallions sliced
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro loosely packed
  • 8 whole steamed mantou buns for serving

Equipment

  • Large wok or deep skillet with lid
  • Crab crackers
  • Cleaver or heavy chef's knife
  • Small mixing bowl
  • Wooden spoon

Method
 

Prepare the Crab:
  1. Remove the top shells, gills, and apron from the crabs. Rinse briefly, drain well, and crack the claws so the sauce can enter.
  2. Whisk the ketchup, chili sauce, tomato paste, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and stock in a bowl. In a second bowl, stir the cornstarch with the water.
Cook:
  1. Heat the oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Cook the garlic, ginger, and chiles for 30 seconds, then add the crab pieces and toss for 2 minutes.
  2. Pour in the sauce, cover, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, turning the crab once, until the shell is bright and the meat is opaque.
  3. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer until the sauce lightly coats the crab. Pour the egg in a thin stream while stirring gently to form soft ribbons.
Serve:
  1. Fold in the scallions and half the cilantro. Taste and balance with a little extra vinegar or sugar if needed.
  2. Transfer to a broad serving bowl, scatter with the remaining cilantro, and serve immediately with hot mantou.

Nutrition

Calories: 640kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 43gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 255mgSodium: 1680mgFiber: 3gSugar: 25g

Notes

  • Cracking the claws before cooking makes them easier to eat and lets the sauce season the meat.
  • Blue crab can substitute for mud crab; use the same total weight and shorten cooking slightly for small crabs.