Chili crab with shrimp

Chili crab is considered one of Singapore's absolute national dishes – a vibrant feast where seafood is bathed in a sauce that is at once sweet, sour, and fiery hot. In this version, we skip the hassle of whole crabs and use large, juicy shrimp instead, but we keep the sauce true to the original: an aromatic base of fresh chili, garlic, and ginger, counterbalanced by tomato, ketchup, and a generous spoonful of sambal oelek. At the very end, an egg is whisked in, making the sauce silky smooth and coating the seafood. Have plenty of bread or steamed mantou ready – the extra sauce is too good to go to waste.

• Cuisine: Singapore
• Time: 35-45 minutes
• Servings: 4 people
• Difficulty: Medium

Instructions

1. Blend fresh chili, garlic, and ginger into a coarse paste – or chop very finely if you don't have a blender.
2. Heat the oil in a wok or deep pan, and fry the paste over medium heat until fragrant and just beginning to colour.
3. Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, ketchup, sambal oelek, sugar, and light soy sauce, and stir everything together to form a glossy, red sauce.
4. Add seafood stock or water and let the sauce simmer for five to ten minutes until it thickens and the flavours meld. Season to taste, aiming for a balance of sweet, sour, and spicy.
5. Mix the cornstarch with a little cold water and whisk it into the sauce to give it a glossy, slightly thickened consistency.
6. Add the shrimp and cook gently for a couple of minutes until they are just heated through and pink – be careful not to overcook them and make them tough.
7. Lightly beat the egg and pour it in a thin stream while stirring gently, allowing it to set into soft strands throughout the sauce.
8. Sprinkle with sliced spring onions and fresh coriander, and serve immediately with steaming jasmine rice or mantou buns.

Tips

• Aim for balance: the sauce should be sweet, sour, and spicy all at once – adjust seasoning as you go.
• Use large shrimp with shells for the most flavour, or keep the tails on for a more elegant presentation.
• For an authentic experience, use whole blue swimmer crabs and extend the simmering time until the shells are heated through.
• Serve plenty of bread or buns on the side – the extra sauce is too good to let go to waste.