Singapore Chili Crabs

4.8
(12)

Living in San Francisco, I've had more than my fair share of crab prepared in more ways than I can remember. I've never enjoyed it more than in this Singapore-style chili crabs recipe. Just be sure to have lots of napkins around. My friends in Singapore tell me they serve this with at least twice the amount of sauce and a fried roll to soak up the goodness. So, double the sauce ingredients if you want to rock the chili crab like a Singaporean!

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Prep Time:
20 mins
Cook Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
Servings:
4
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings

  • ½ cup ketchup

  • ½ cup chicken broth

  • 1 large egg

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce (such as sambal oelek)

  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

  • 1 tablespoon tamarind paste

  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce

  • 2 teaspoons palm sugar

  • ¼ cup minced shallot

  • 6 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, or more as needed

  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

  • 1 tablespoon minced serrano chile pepper

  • 2 cooked Dungeness crabs, cleaned and cracked

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

  • 2 tablespoons sliced green onions (green parts only)

Directions

  1. Whisk ketchup, chicken broth, egg, soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, oyster sauce, tamarind paste, fish sauce, and palm sugar together in a bowl; set sauce aside.

  2. Combine shallots, garlic, oil, ginger, and serrano in a pot over medium-high heat; sauté until sizzling, about 2 minutes. Add crab to the pot, cover with a lid, and shake until crab is completely coated in shallot mixture. Remove lid; cook and stir until heated through, about 3 minutes.

  3. Add reserved sauce to the pot; reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir until sauce thickens and crab is hot about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro and green onions.

Chef's Notes:

You can substitute water for chicken broth, if desired.

You can substitute any spicy ground chili sauce for sambal oelek, if desired.

You can substitute 1 tablespoon sliced chives for green onions, if desired.

You can substitute red onion for shallot, if desired.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

222 Calories
9g Fat
18g Carbs
18g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 222
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 9g 12%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 95mg 32%
Sodium 1575mg 68%
Total Carbohydrate 18g 7%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 18g 35%
Vitamin C 12mg 13%
Calcium 72mg 6%
Iron 2mg 8%
Potassium 521mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.