Recipes from around the world: Chili Crab

All about the spice!

Traditionally from Singapore, this delicious recipe is one of my favourite, especially if you love seafood with a bit of a kick.

Ingredients:

CHILLI PASTE:

• Red cayenne chilli
• Taucu paste (Fermented yellow soy bean paste)
• Garlic cloves
• Shallots
• Fresh Ginger

CHILLI CRAB SAUCE:

• Canola oil (Or other neutral oil)
• Belachan (Dried shrimp paste)
• Tomato passata (Pureed fresh tomatoes)
• Sweet chilli sauce
• Ketchup
• Water
• Egg
• White vinegar

GARNISHES:

• Coriander
• Spring onion

Best served with golden mantou, which are small Chinese steamed buns which have been fried until golden brown. When served at Singaporean crab restaurants, these fried buns are either eaten dipped in the sauce from the crab or as a dessert dipped in condensed milk.

Method:

1. Prepare crab (Cut into smaller pieces, making sure to reserve the juices and tomalley/innards of the crab)
2. Put all the chilli paste ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth
3. Heat up oil in a large pan (preferably a wok) and add the belachan. Stir and saute for around 2 mins. 
4. Add in the blended chilli paste and fry it off for around 3 mins.
5. Next, add in the tomato passata and cook for around 4 mins. 
6. Add the water, sweet chilli sauce, and ketchup into the sauce mixture. 
7. First, add the crab claws into the sauce (as they take the longest to cook), stir to coat then cover and let it simmer for around 3 mins. 
8. Uncover and add in the reserved crab juices and tomalley. 
9. Add in the rest of the crab pieces, stir to coat then cover and simmer for around 7 mins. 
10. Remove all the pieces of crab from the pan and put into a separate bowl. 
11. Crack the egg into a bowl and lightly mix it with a fork. 
12. While stirring, slowly pour the egg into the sauce to create ribbons.
13. Add in the white vinegar and stir.
14. Add the crab back into the pot, and stir to coat with the sauce. 
15. Take the crab out and plate nicely onto a serving dish. 
16. Pour the rest of the sauce over the crab. 
17. Garnish with spring onion and coriander.
18. Serve with golden mantou on the side. 

Courtesy of Alysha Zhuang-Mackie!

Look out for more delicious dishes created by students on Sanctuary Social.