Chilli Crab & Black Pepper Crab - Singapore Favourites
Ranked #7,498 in Food & Cooking, #137,253 overall
Chilli Crab
Chilli Crab, Singapore's unofficial "national dish" had beginnings as humble as the country itself. In the 1950s, Madam Cher Yam Tian had a hawker stall right on the seashore, and she spent her time everyday from dusk till the wee hours of the morning cooking by the light of a kerosene lamp. One of Madam Cher's specialities? Live crabs in a zesty chilli-spiked gravy, the first version of the Singapore chilli crab.
That stall is long gone, but close to its original spot now stands the East Coast Seafood Centre, where a bevy of restaurants cook up a storm of chilli crab every night for hordes of eager diners.
Nowadays, the dish has many incarnations: some are packed with fresh spices like galangal, ginger, and turmeric, some are sweet-sour and rosy with tomato, others are ribboned with beaten egg, and still others carry the sting of chilli oil. All are meant to be attacked with gusto - and a nutcracker to tackle thick shells, plus a few slices of French bread or mantou (Chinese buns) to help you soak up every last drop of delicious sauce. Black pepper crab started becoming popular in the 1980s, and now most crustacean-themed restaurants offer crabs simply stir-fried with pungent doses of black or white peppercorns, alongside chilli crab.
That stall is long gone, but close to its original spot now stands the East Coast Seafood Centre, where a bevy of restaurants cook up a storm of chilli crab every night for hordes of eager diners.
Nowadays, the dish has many incarnations: some are packed with fresh spices like galangal, ginger, and turmeric, some are sweet-sour and rosy with tomato, others are ribboned with beaten egg, and still others carry the sting of chilli oil. All are meant to be attacked with gusto - and a nutcracker to tackle thick shells, plus a few slices of French bread or mantou (Chinese buns) to help you soak up every last drop of delicious sauce. Black pepper crab started becoming popular in the 1980s, and now most crustacean-themed restaurants offer crabs simply stir-fried with pungent doses of black or white peppercorns, alongside chilli crab.
Black Pepper Crab
Black pepper crab is one of the two most popular ways that crab is served in Singapore. It is made with hard-shell crabs, and cooked in a thick gravy made with black pepper. The creation of Singapore's black pepper crab is attributed to Long Beach Seafood Restaurant in 1959. The black pepper crab is liked by many locals and foreign tourists over the chilli crab because of its drier and fragrant pepperish nature. It is becoming very popular to mix the pepper crab with a fresh jackfruit sauce. It has, however, not made it into the nomination list for Singapore's National Food. Chili Crab Recipe
1.2-1.5 kg / 2 - 3 pounds fresh Crab, halved
1 Egg, beaten
1 Tbsp of Corn Flour (Cornstarch)
250 ml / 8 fl oz / 1 cup Tomato Puree
2 Eggs, beaten
3 Tbsp / 1 ½ fl oz Chili Sauce
2 Tbsp / 1 oz Sugar
2 Tbsp / 1 oz Vinegar
1 Spring Onion (Scallion), chopped
Handful of Coriander (Cilantro, Chinese Parsley or Ketumbar)
¼ Pineapple, grated (optional)
Cooking Oil for deep-frying
Salt to taste
Chili Paste Ingredients: - to be finely grounded
1 ½ Tbsp / 8 oz Chili Powder
6 Red Chilies
6 Garlic cloves, peeled
100 g / 3 ½ oz Shallots (Red Onion), peeled
1 cm / ½ inch Ginger, peeled
Water to blend
Method:
Lightly coat Crabs with a pinch of salt, Egg, and Corn Flour.
Heat the Oil and deep-fry the Crabs till golden. Drain and set aside.
Heat 4 tablespoons of Oil and sauté the Chili Paste till fragrant.
Stir in Tomato Puree and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
Add in Chili Sauce, (grated Pineapple), sugar and vinegar. Add salt and sugar to taste, and bring to a boil.
Fold in fried Crab, and mix well with Sauce. Add Eggs to thicken the Sauce.
Garnish with finely sliced Spring Onion (Scallion) and Coriander; serve immediately with rice or fried/steam Bun (Chinese Pau).
Do you know...
When comes to chilli crab dish, female crabs are preferred for their roe as it brings out the sweetness of the gravy
Black Pepper Recipe
Courtesy of Makansutra
eBay
Makansutra Cooking - Chilli Crab
this dish was invented by the original owners of Palm Beach restaurant in Bedok, Singapore, over half a century ago by Mdm Cher. At the behest of spicy loving customers in the East area, she went from the boring bbq and steaming to tossing them in chilli and tomato sauce. Today, many other chefs have taken it notches above that style and upped the spice quotient. These days it comes with a delicate sambal and stock mixed thickened and smoothened with eggs and cornstarch.
curated content from YouTube
Chili crab is traditionally served with Chinese-style steamed buns called mantou. Alternatively a baguette, or any type of white bread is also great for dipping in the thick gravy. Wash it all down with ice cold beer. Heavenly!
Great Stuff on Amazon
Cooking Chilli Crab
Chilli Crab is one of the many dishes that have put Singapore on the world map. The Calamity Chef reveals the story behind this popular local dish.
curated content from YouTube
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Highly Recommended Restaurants in Singapore
- Jumbo Seafood
- Huge juicy crabs topped with a deliciously piquant sauce. This large restaurant gets so crowded on weekends, the managers communicate by radio microphone.
Address:
Blk 1206 East Coast Parkway,
#01-07/08, East Coast Seafood Centre
Tel: (65) 64423435 - Long Beach Seafood Restaurant
- Excellent black pepper crab - the Sri Lankan crabs are very meaty. The black pepper sauce is fragrant with butter and spicy enough to get your tastebuds all tingly.
Branches:
Long Beach MAIN Seafood Restaurant
Tel: 6445 8833
1018 East Coast Parkway, Next to ECP Burger King
Daily: 11am - 3pm / 5pm - 12.15am
Sat & Eves of PH: Till 1.15am
Long Beach @ DEMPSEY
Tel: 6323 2222
25 Dempsey Road, opposite Singapore Botanic Gardens
Daily: 11am - 3pm / 5.30pm - 1.30am
Long Beach IMM Seafood Restaurant
Tel: 6566 9933
Jurong East St 21, Level 3, IMM Building, Next to Rooftop Garden
Daily: 11am - 3pm / 5.45pm - 11pm
Sat, Sun & PH: 11am - 3pm / 5pm -11pm
Long Beach UDMC Seafood Restaurant
Tel: 6448 3636
1202 East Coast Parkway, #01-04 East Coast Seafood Centre
Mon-Thu: 2.30pm - 12.15am, Fri: 1.30pm - 12.15am
Sat: 11.30am - 1.15am, Sun & PH: 11.30am - 12.15am
Eves of PH: 2.30pm - 1.15am
Long Beach KING Seafood
Tel: 6344 7722
Next to Kallang Park McDonald's (5 mins drive from Raffles Hotel)
Daily: 11am - 3pm / 5pm - 1.15am. - No Signboard Seafood
- An extremely popular eatery with families and big groups. Try the black or white pepper crabs, and also the lovely oats prawns and plain steamed live prawns with garlic.
Branches
Central Tel: +65 6376 9959
Vivo City
1 Harbourfront Walk,
#03-02 VivoCity, Singapore 098585
11am - 11pm
East Coast
Blk 1202 East Coast Parkway
#01-02
East Coast Seafood Centre
Singapore 449 881
3pm - 12am
ESPLANADE
8 Raffles Avenue,
#01-14/16 (The Esplanade)
Singapore 039802
11am - 11pm
Geylang
414 Geylang Road (next to Lorong 24)
SIngapore 389392
Tel: (65) 68423415
12pm - 1am - Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant
- A large menu, with many different crab and fish preparations. Have a leisurely meal, so you can try several dishes and enjoy the view.
Address:
#01-08 One Fullerton, 1 Fullerton Road
Tel: (65) 64230040
New Guestbook
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hamshi5433
Aug 31, 2011 @ 6:57 pm | delete
- I love spicy crab curry that mi mum makes so i think am gona love this one too! Thanx for sharing it.
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GastroStu Jul 17, 2011 @ 7:44 am | delete
- Very nice lens, the Black Pepper Crab looks particularly tasty.
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Mujjen
Jul 14, 2011 @ 7:30 am | delete
- We had crab on our first evening in Singapore, many years ago. This brings back so many good (and tasty!) memories!
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SueM11 Jul 13, 2011 @ 1:12 am | delete
- I love chili crab even though it is a bit spicy for me. Dip it in the toasted buns and yummy!
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goo2eyes
Jul 12, 2011 @ 5:12 pm | delete
- nice hair color you've got.
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amylaine
Jul 12, 2011 @ 8:53 am | delete
- I had my first bowl of chili crab in Kansas City, Mo. It may have not been just like this but it was great.
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KonaGirl
Jul 12, 2011 @ 8:16 am | delete
- You have done such a good job presenting this chili crab dish I can almost smell the aroma of the crabs simmering in the stock with the chili paste! I am leaving you with a Squid Angel blessing and added your link to My Squid Angel Wings to be featured in your neighborhood.
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AsianMarketplace
Jul 12, 2011 @ 8:22 am | delete
- I really appreciate and feel honored to be featured in My Squid Angel WIngs. Thanks very much.
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KimGiancaterino Jul 11, 2011 @ 10:56 am | delete
- I can't eat his, but enjoyed learning about the history of Singapore cuisine.
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BigGirlBlue
Jul 9, 2011 @ 12:44 pm | delete
- Looks interesting. I wouldn't know how to eat it.
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sunnymars
Jul 9, 2011 @ 5:29 am | delete
- Love Singapore and it's food. These crab recipes look awesome. I'll definitely try them!
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sukkran Jul 8, 2011 @ 10:24 am | delete
- well presented asian recipe lens. black pepper crab is my fav. thanks for sharing
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theonlineanswer
Jul 6, 2011 @ 7:56 pm | delete
- lovely article :) nice job
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deyani
Jun 30, 2011 @ 8:53 pm | delete
- Oh yum, it's been a while since I have chilli crab and you're making me hungry now. Thank you for your list of recommended seafood restaurant in singapore, my parents are going to Singapore next month, I'll let them know.
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AsianMarketplace
Jul 1, 2011 @ 12:38 am | delete
- Glad to know that your family is visiting Singapore and eating our signature dish - chilli crab is a MUST-HAVE when you are here. Cheers!
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newbizmau Jun 29, 2011 @ 5:14 pm | delete
- I'm your 20th Like. Congrats and great lens. Yummy
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AsianMarketplace
Jun 29, 2011 @ 6:05 pm | delete
- Really appreciate for helping me to reach this little milestone ya!
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olpampam
Jun 23, 2011 @ 9:25 am | delete
- You are making me hungry.
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Businessflybee
Jun 23, 2011 @ 5:27 am | delete
- delicious recipes...I love crab curry! soo yummy
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Stotinka5 Jun 21, 2011 @ 2:56 pm | delete
- looks sooooo delicious!!
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don2fuentes
Jun 21, 2011 @ 11:14 am | delete
- wahhhoowwwww! oozingly delicious. a bit of butter would accentuate the great taste of the crab. wow this is really making me hungry. Great Lens. Write more! more! more! more! FOODD STUFFF!!!
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AsianMarketplace
Jul 1, 2011 @ 12:38 am | delete
- Yes, i'm planning to write more lenses about food, especially Singapore cuisines. That for appreciating my lens ya!
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dellennalini
Jun 21, 2011 @ 2:28 am | delete
- Spaghetti alle vongole (Italian for spaghetti and clams) is a dish that's part of traditional Neapolitan cuisine.
http://hcgplatinumblog.com
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digitaltree
Jun 20, 2011 @ 5:58 pm | delete
- Amazing and instructive lens:)
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Tipi
Jun 18, 2011 @ 11:29 pm | delete
- Your crab recipes sound wonderful. I know that you are new to Squidoo and want to let you know that we have a recipe module available to us that is very user friendly an even allows for a printable version.
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AsianMarketplace
Jun 20, 2011 @ 6:14 pm | delete
- Thanks for the advice! Cheers.
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aesta1
Jun 18, 2011 @ 6:44 am | delete
- Each time I go to Singapore, I just head to eat chili crabs. I enjoy eating it at home so I don't have to be delicate about it.
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karmicchristian
Jun 18, 2011 @ 3:22 am | delete
- Nice and mouth-watering recipes. Thanks. :)
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