(I’m So Lucky) Singaporean Chili Crab

STORY

One of the wonderful things about being part of a diverse family is being able to visit my diverse family all over the world. As luck would have it, one of my very favorite relatives lives in Singapore. And I consider that lucky because the food in Singapore is a thing of beauty. I believe it’s because Singapore is comprised solely of immigrants (mostly from China, India, and Malaysia). And very good things come when cultures intermingle.

While I was in Singapore we visited the Raffles Hotel, famous for being the death place of the Singaporean tiger (the last one was reportedly shot and killed on the premises), and the birth place of the Singapore Sling (my memories of drinking this delicious cocktail are fuzzy. A side effect, I’m told.). The Raffles was also the place where I discovered one of the most delicious dishes I’ve ever had, chili crab.

For years the dish haunted me. How many chilies would I need to make it? Would I be able to recreate it? How on earth did it all come together so perfectly, sweet and spicy… my oh my how I love this dish. The internet proved a wonderful tool, but there were many, many interpretations of the recipe. I was also at a disadvantage because the original recipe required a mud crab (sadly, NJ is in short supply of that particular crustacean). So I worked with what I had. I substituted, using our local blue crabs (in the summer), or frozen snow, Dungeness, or king crab. Whatever I could find. And amazingly, no matter what crab I used, the dish was an absolute success. This recipe is quick, simple and incredibly tasty. It’s a marvelous substitute for the Raffles variety, though I’m still dying to get my hands on their recipe. Maybe I will snag it on my next visit to Singapore. If I’m lucky.

RECIPE

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes

TOOLS

• Paring knife
• Small food processor (I use a Cuisinart)
• Wooden spoon
• 3-quart sauce pan

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion (I like red ones for this recipe)
4 bird’s eye chilies (or Thai chilies)
3 ripe medium tomatoes, pureed
½ tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp of soy sauce
2 tbsp of sugar (I use my favorite, Demerara)
¼ tbsp of vinegar
1 thumbnail sized dried shrimp
½ lb. crab (a live large mud crab, if you are lucky – live blue crab, or frozen snow, Dungeness, and king crab if you’re less lucky)
1 pinch of corn starch
1 egg
1 handful cilantro (coriander) leaves

METHOD

1. Peel and quarter onion.
2. Carefully slice chilies and remove seeds (take care not to touch your face or eyes).
3. Place onion and chilies into food processor and blend until onions and chilies form a paste.
4. Add oil to sauce pan. Turn heat up to medium high.
5. Add onion and chili paste to sauce pan. Stir occasionally until liquid is reduced.
6. Once liquid has evaporated, add pureed tomatoes, ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and dried shrimp. Stir until combined.
7. Add crab and cook until crab shell turns red (about 10 -12 minutes).
8. Add half a handful of cilantro.
9. Add pinch of corn starch, and stir.
10. Crack egg, and quickly stir the egg into the mixture before it scrambles.
11. Remove from heat and garnish with remaining cilantro.

I like to serve this with basmati rice.

Photo Credit: Matthew G. Piccolo