Chilli Crab
Pioneered by Cher Yam Tian in the mid 1950s and further modified by renowned chef Hooi Kok Wah in the 60s, the Singapore chilli crab is a must-try for all seafood lovers!
To prepare the dish, the fresh crab 🦀 – typically Sri Lankan, Burmese, or Filipino mud crab – is first cleaned and chopped into smaller parts, then deep-fried in oil with garlic, ginger, and shallots for additional infusion of taste. Copious amounts of thick tomato and chilli sauce is then added to the mix, and flour and beaten eggs near the end of the cooking process to thicken the gravy.
The dish quickly gained popularity in Singapore, and it wasn’t before long it became one of our national cuisines! Interestingly, the dish’s popularity has spread beyond our borders, and it is not uncommon to find Singapore Chilli Crab in the menus of high-end restaurants in cities like New York 🇺🇸, London 🇬🇧, and Tokyo 🇯🇵.
So next time you are craving some fresh seafood goodness, consider the chilli crab – it’s a treat for the family, whether eating out or making the dish at home.