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Chilli Crab

Singapore

Step 1 of 9

Chilli Crab — step 1 of 9

Blend the fresh chillies, drained dried chillies, garlic, shallots, ginger and toasted belacan to a smooth rempah, adding a splash of water if needed.

Ingredients

4 servings

The crab

2 live or very fresh mud crabs, about 1 1/2 lb (680 g) each
2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil, for frying the crab

The rempah

8 fresh red chillies, stems removed
4 dried red chillies, soaked in hot water 20 minutes and drained
8 cloves garlic
6 shallots
2 in (5 cm) fresh ginger
1 tsp (5 g) belacan, toasted

The sauce

3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil
3 tbsp (48 g) tomato paste
1/2 cup (120 ml) bottled tomato ketchup
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water or light chicken stock
2 tbsp (30 ml) light soy sauce
2 tbsp (24 g) sugar
1 tbsp (15 ml) rice vinegar
1 tbsp (8 g) cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp (30 ml) water
2 large eggs, beaten
3 scallions, cut into 1 in (2.5 cm) lengths

To serve

Steamed or fried mantou buns
Fresh coriander

Development draft. This is an untested development recipe from the cookbook project. It has not been kitchen-tested, and the quantities and timings are the author's working draft rather than a verified result.

The Southeast Asian Table

One hundred recipes from eleven Southeast Asian countries, with the sauces and pastes they are built on.

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