Chili Crab

4.60 from 5 votes

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.

Course: Crab

Cuisine: Malaysian Recipes

Keyword: Chili Crab

Servings: people

Author: Bee Yinn Low

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