Singaporean Chili Crab (Printable Version)

Tangy, spicy crab tossed in rich tomato chili sauce with fresh herbs and lime.

# Ingredient List:

→ Seafood

01 - 2 whole live mud crabs (approximately 3.3 lbs total), cleaned and quartered

→ Sauce Base

02 - 3 tbsp vegetable oil
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 5 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 3 red chilies, deseeded and chopped
06 - 2 bird's eye chilies, chopped (adjust to taste)
07 - 0.8 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

→ Sauce

08 - 8.5 fl oz tomato ketchup
09 - 2 tbsp chili sauce (e.g., Sriracha or sambal oelek)
10 - 1 tbsp granulated sugar
11 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
12 - 1 tsp fish sauce
13 - 8.5 fl oz chicken or seafood stock
14 - 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water
15 - 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

→ Garnish

16 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
17 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
18 - Lime wedges, for serving

# Steps:

01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large wok or deep pan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 2 minutes until softened.
02 - Add minced garlic, ginger, red chilies, and bird's eye chilies. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Add crab pieces and toss to coat with aromatics. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until shells start turning red.
04 - Pour in tomato ketchup, chili sauce, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, and stock. Stir thoroughly to blend flavors.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, turning crab occasionally until fully cooked.
06 - Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook briefly to thicken sauce slightly.
07 - Slowly drizzle beaten eggs into bubbling sauce while stirring gently to form silky ribbons.
08 - Remove from heat. Garnish with spring onions and cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges alongside steamed mantou or rice.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce is that perfect balance of tangy, spicy, and slightly sweet—nothing one-note about it.
  • Whole crabs mean you get to experience the briny sweetness of the meat at its peak freshness.
  • Those silky egg ribbons stirred in at the end feel like a little luxury, turning a dish into an event.
02 -
  • Fresh live crabs truly do make a difference—the meat stays tender and sweet where frozen can turn rubbery once thawed and cooked.
  • Don't skip the step of letting the aromatics become fragrant; that's where the real flavor foundation gets built.
  • The sauce should smell almost aggressive as it simmers—bold and complex—but the flavors balance out once the crab releases its natural sweetness into the liquid.
03 -
  • If the sauce seems too thin after simmering, it might be because your crabs released more liquid—just simmer a bit longer uncovered, or add another teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with water.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the eggs and adjust the balance of salty, spicy, and sweet—this is the moment to fix anything that feels off, because you can't adjust it much after the eggs go in.
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