Chili Crab
This Chili Crab is messy, dramatic, and deeply satisfying, with sweet crab simmered in a glossy tomato-chili sauce scented with garlic and ginger. The egg enriches the gravy into silky ribbons, making every shell worth licking clean.
Ingredients
Crab and aromatics
- 800 gmud crab, cleaned and cut into 4 pieces
- 20 ggarlic, finely chopped
- 15 gginger, finely julienned
- 15 gred chili, finely sliced
- 30 gscallions, cut into 3 cm lengths
Sauce
- 30 mlneutral oil
- 180 gtomato passata
- 40 gtomato ketchup
- 30 gsweet chili sauce
- 20 mllight soy sauce
- 120 mlwater
- 8 gsugar
- 1 gground white pepper
Egg finish
- 1 large (50 g)egg, lightly beaten
Instructions
- 1
Prepare everything before you start: pat the crab dry, finely chop the garlic, julienne the ginger, slice the chili, and cut the scallions. Beat the egg in a small bowl. Keeping all components ready is important because the dish cooks quickly once the wok is hot.
- 2
Heat a wok or wide deep pan over high heat until very hot. Add the oil, then stir-fry the garlic, ginger, and red chili for 20-30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Browning the garlic too much will make the sauce bitter.
- 3
Add the crab and toss for 2-3 minutes so the shells turn bright red and pick up the aromatics. Stir-frying first helps develop flavor before the braising liquid goes in.
- 4
Add the passata, ketchup, sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, water, sugar, and white pepper. Stir well, bring to a lively simmer, then cover and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the crab meat is just cooked through and the claws and body are opaque inside. The sauce should reduce slightly but still be loose enough to coat the crab generously.
- 5
Uncover and add the scallions. Let the sauce bubble for 1 minute. While stirring the sauce in a circular motion, slowly drizzle in the beaten egg to form silky ribbons. Cook for 20-30 seconds more, just until the egg is softly set and the sauce lightly thickens.
- 6
Taste the sauce and serve immediately. Spoon the sauce over the crab and provide bowls, crab crackers, and plenty of napkins. This dish is best eaten hot, with steamed rice or crusty bread to catch the sweet-spicy tomato gravy.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •Ask your fishmonger to dispatch, clean, and chop the crab to save time and keep the recipe within 30 minutes.
- •If you prefer a hotter version, increase the fresh chili to 25 g or add a little chili paste with the sauce.
- •A mud crab gives the most authentic texture, but blue swimmer crab also works; adjust simmering time slightly if the crab is smaller.
- •Serve with plain steamed jasmine rice to balance the rich, sticky sauce.
Background
Chili Crab is one of the most famous crab dishes in maritime Southeast Asia, with closely related versions found in Singapore and Malaysia. The Malaysian style often leans into a sweet-spicy tomato-based gravy, reflecting the region's love of bold sauces that balance heat, sweetness, and savoriness.
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