This Delicious Singapore Chilli Crab By Chef Harsh Garg Deserves A Space In Your Dinner Menu

A fiery burst of flavour, Singapore Chilli Crab is a glorious dish worth savouring slowly. Chef Harsh Garg of Boomburger has made this beloved seafood classic recipe that combines the natural sweetness of crab with a punchy, umami-laden sauce. The sauce is equally spicy and tangy. The secret lies in balancing fermented shrimp paste with tomato and heat from bird’s eye chillies. Best eaten with crispy golden mantou buns, this dish is a must-have for all your dinner parties.

Singapore Chilli Crab

Recipe Information

Ingredients

1.5kg crab, cleaned and cut into pieces (2 crabs)
For the Chilli Paste
12g bird’s eye chilli
30g miso paste
30g garlic
40g onion
20g ginger
For the Singapore Chilli Crab Sauce
60 ml vegetable oil
30g belachan (fermented shrimp paste)
60g chilli paste (that you just made)
200g tomato puree
125g sweet chilli sauce
30g tomato ketchup
500 ml of water
1 egg, lightly beaten
30g rice vinegar
For the Garnish
5g coriander leaves, roughly chopped
3g bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped
Accompaniments
6 mantou buns (golden fried baos)

Preparation

Step 1

Clean the crabs and cut them into manageable portions. Separate the claws and cut the bodies through the middle.

Step 2

You will see a yellow substance inside the body of the crab. Do not throw this away. This is the tomalley, or crab mustard. Remove it with a spoon into a separate bowl and keep it for later.

Step 3

Keep the crabs in cold water and set aside until ready to use.

Step 4

Place all the ingredients for the chilli paste into a pestle and grind them down to a rough paste. You can also do this using a food processor. Set aside.

Step 5

Heat the oil in a large wok and add the belachan. It will sputter a lot, so be careful.

Step 6

Saute it for a minute or two until the funky smell starts to disappear.

Step 7

Add 2 tbsp of the chilli paste you’ve just made to the wok and cook it down for a few minutes. Mix it well with the belachan.

Step 8

Now add the tomato puree and mix it well. Then add the sweet chilli and ketchup and make sure it is fully incorporated. Finally, add the water and bring it all together. Bring the sauce to a boil and then keep it on a simmer.

Step 9

Add the crab pieces to the wok and cover with a lid. Now, we also add the crab mustard that you had kept aside before. Stir it into the sauce well. Let the crab cook for about 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the crab and set it aside for a couple of minutes.

Step 10

Now slowly stream in the egg while constantly stirring the sauce. This will help to thicken the sauce and give it richness. Finally, add the rice vinegar and stir it all together.

Step 11

Add the crab back into the wok and cover. Let it cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes and then remove from heat.

Step 12

Garnish with coriander leaves and bird’s eye chillies, and serve with golden fried mantou buns!

Sticky fingers, stained plates, and satisfied smiles, that’s the true measure of success when making Singapore Chilli Crab. The thick, egg-swirled sauce clings lovingly to every shell, while the crab’s natural flavour shines through in each bite. Don’t forget the fried mantou buns; they’re not just an accompaniment, they’re essential for soaking up every last drop. Serve it hot and be ready with your camera because it’s a hands-on feast worth Instagramming.