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Chili Crab is a beloved dish in Malaysia and Singapore, with big, succulent crab bathed in a rich, spicy, and tangy sauce. This mouthwatering, sour-and-spicy crab is absolutely addictive and perfect for sopping up with fluffy steamed buns.
I love crab, and one of my favorite recipes is chili crab, or crab in sour and spicy sauce (酸辣蟹).
Imagine jumbo-sized crab drenched in a rich, sweet, tangy, and spicy sauce made from chili paste, tomato sauce, and a blend of other seasonings. It’s served with hot-off-the-steamer, fluffy, and soft mantou or Chinese steamed buns. Whether steamed or fried, these buns are perfect for sopping up the scrumptious, addictive sauce. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.
This crab dish is popular in both Malaysia and Singapore; in fact, it’s so iconic that it has become a must-try for tourists visiting Singapore.
Fancy more crab recipes, check out my Crab Bee Hoon, Baked King Crab, and Crab Legs recipes!
The Best Chili Crab Recipe
This authentic chili crab recipe blends elements from both Chinese and Malaysian cuisines, with a rich, eggy sauce that’s perfect for entertaining guests.
While I have a delicious home-style chili crab recipe from my late mother, this is my go-to version when friends crave a saucy, sticky, and eggy delight.
It’s a crowd-pleaser that’s ideal for entertaining and sure to impress any seafood lover.
Helpful Tips For Home Cooks
- In Singapore and the southern part of Malaysia (in Johor Bahru), this dish is made with jumbo mud crab from Sri Lanka or Indonesia. Elsewhere in Malaysia, local, smaller mud crabs are used.
- In the US, mud crab can be hard to find, but Dungeness crab is a great alternative for this recipe. If you purchase it from Asian supermarkets, they will clean and chop it up for you. I always save the shell, pick out the tamale or mustard inside, and add it to the sauce.
- You can also prepare this dish with blue crab or stone crab.
- If live crabs are not available, you can use frozen crab clusters, such as snow crab.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best crabs are usually large and meaty, such as big mud crabs or Dungeness crab. These varieties have a robust flavor and substantial meat, which complements the rich, spicy sauce of the dish.
Yes, you can use pre-cooked crab for chili crab. However, be aware that you’ll need to adjust the cooking time since the crab is already cooked. Ensure that the crab is heated thoroughly and coated well with the chili sauce.
A serving of chili crab contains around 610 calories.
What To Serve With Chili Crab
If you want a Malaysian Choo Char or Singaporean Tze Char experience at home, make the following recipes with the crab.
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Chili Crab
Ingredients
- 2 – 2.5 lbs (1kg-1.25kg) Dungeness crab
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch (2.5cm) ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 egg, beaten
- salt to taste
- 12 steamed buns or mantou
Sour and Spicy Sauce
- 5 tablespoons ketchup
- 5 tablespoons Lingham’s Hot Sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese rice vinegar , or lime juice to taste
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Clean the crab and cut it into 6 pieces. Drain the crab and discard any excess water. Remove the tamale (or mustard) from inside the crab shell and set it aside. Discard the empty shells.
- Mix all the ingredients for the sour and spicy sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat a wok over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the minced garlic and ginger, and stir-fry until aromatic and slightly browned. Add the crab pieces and tamale to the wok, stirring for about 10 seconds. Pour in the sour and spicy sauce, stirring to combine well with the crab. Cover the wok with its lid and let it cook for about 4-5 minutes.
Notes
- Serve with Chinese steamed buns.
- I strongly recommend Lingham’s Hot Sauce for the best result. You can purchase it online or at Asian grocery stores.
- If you can’t find Lingham’s Hot Sauce, you can make this dish with Sriracha but do adjust the quantity according to your taste as Sriracha is very spicy. If you use Sriracha, do add sugar into the sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thanks for sharing. I love to sift some flour / corn flour or tapioca flour onto the cut side of the crab, then pan fry with some oil to golden the dish up. I will use spring onion — the white part to add more aroma, fry them with the sliced ginger and garlic.
Since you have buns or mantou, I will deep fry them in hot oil and remove once they are slightly golden, dish up then deep fry the crabs !! Once awhile to eat the deep fried buns or mantou, is ok. A restaurant served deep fried mamtou with curry chicken too !! Yummy !!
Chinese New Year is at the corner, wishing you and your family always Healthy and Happy and Wealthy !!