Chili crab with prawns (Singapore)
, by Thai-Butikken, 3 min reading time
Make Singapore's famous chili crab with large prawns in a sweet, sour, and spicy tomato-chili sauce with sambal and eggs. A celebratory dish for 4 people - serve with rice.
Chilli crab with prawns
Chilli crab is considered one of Singapore's absolute national dishes - a vibrant celebratory meal where seafood is bathed in a sauce that is simultaneously sweet, sour, and fiery hot. In this version, we skip the hassle of whole crabs and use large, juicy prawns 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 good spoonful of sambal oelek. Finally, an egg is whisked in to make the sauce silky smooth and coat the seafood. Have plenty of bread or steamed mantou ready - the extra sauce is far too good to waste.
- Cuisine: Singapore
- Time: 35-45 minutes
- Servings: 4 people
- Difficulty: Medium
Ingredients for 4 people
- 600 g large raw prawns (preferably with shell)
- 3 pcs fresh red chillies
- 5 cloves garlic
- 4 cm fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 dl crushed tomatoes
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp sambal oelek
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 dl seafood stock or water
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 pc egg
- 2 pcs spring onions
- 1 bunch fresh coriander
Instructions
- Blend fresh chili, garlic, and ginger into a coarse paste - or chop it very finely if you don't have a blender.
- Heat the oil in a wok or deep pan, and fry the paste over medium heat until it smells intensely and just begins to colour.
- Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, ketchup, sambal oelek, sugar, and light soy sauce, and stir it all together into a glossy, red sauce.
- 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.
- Mix the cornstarch with a little cold water and whisk it into the sauce to give it a glossy, slightly thickened consistency.
- Add the prawns 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.
- Lightly whisk the egg and pour it in a thin stream while stirring gently, so it sets in soft ribbons throughout the sauce.
- Garnish with sliced spring onions and fresh coriander, and serve immediately with steaming jasmine rice or mantou buns.
Tips
- Aim for balance: the sauce should hit sweet, sour, and spicy notes all at once - taste as you go.
- Use large prawns with shells for the most flavour, or keep the tails on for a more attractive presentation.
- For the authentic experience, use whole blue swimming crabs and extend the simmering time until the shell is thoroughly heated.
- Serve plenty of bread or buns on the side - the extra sauce is too good to waste.
You'll need
Ingredients and products for the dish – collected at Thai-Butikken.
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