November 4, 2010

A Singaporean's Singapore Chilli Crab


It's quite indisputable that Singapore is a Makan* Nation.  By this, I meant you could be craving for any cuisine at any time of the day (and night!) and you would get your hankering satisfied pronto.  That's because many food outlets in Singapore remain open until past midnight daily.  Many foreigners (my husband included) have been stunned by the fact that Singaporeans regularly go for supper in the wee hours.  Yes, when it comes to meals, we don't quite believe there should be only three a day.  For better or for worse, four sounds more believable; the fourth meal being supper. 

Typically in Makan Nation terms, when it's time to celebrate a birthday - WE EAT; when we get a career promotion - WE EAT; when we're resigning from a job - WE EAT; when we bunch up for a festive celebration - WE EAT; even when we're commemorating a family member's death - we will gather for prayer and then?  EAT, you said.  Well done.  You got the drift. 

I used blue swimmer crabs for my Singapore Chilli Crab dish as
the mud crabs have decided to hibernate during Spring, I think!

As a multi-cultural Makan Nation, we have a plethora of what we regard as national dishes.  I must clarify that even though we call them national dishes, we neither have monumentalized them in our national anthem (Majulah Singapura) nor habitually eat them four times a day.  They're national because of their Singaporean origin and how they are loved by most (if not all) citizens of Makan Nation.  I've cooked a mind-boggling selection of national dishes in my kitchen here in Australia but I will present them one at a time in my blog.  Today, it will be the exalted Singapore Chilli Crab.    This dish was first created in 1950 by a Singaporean restaurant chef - that's during pre-independent Singapore, mind you.  Over time, some international cooks and chefs have customised the dish, such as by adding wine to the ingredients.  Well, ok, whatever suits them for I have also added sugar to my spaghetti sauce - quite un-Italian, if that's fair.  That aside, here's how to cook Singapore Chilli Crab - the Makan Nation and Halal way!

This amazingly tasty dish goes very well with white rice or soft buns

Ingredients:

3 blue swimmer crabs (or mud crabs) - well washed, scrubbed and lightly smashed
1 large brown onion - peeled and chopped roughly
2 cloves garlic - chopped
8 dried chillies - washed and soaked in warm water for 5 minutes
1 tsp belacan (shrimp paste)
1 tsp lemon juice
6 tbsp oil
5 tbsp tomato ketchup
4 tbsp light soy sauce
4 tbsp sweet soy sauce (kicap manis Habhal)
4 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
300ml water
1 tbsp cornflour
2 eggs - beaten in a bowl
Coriander leaves, to garnish


Preparation:

1.  For chilli paste.  In a food processor, grind onion, chillies and belacan for abt 30 - 40 sec until they form a smooth paste.

2.  For sauce.  In a bowl, combine water, tomato ketchup, light soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, sugar and corn flour. Stir well and set aside.

3.  Heat oil in a wok over high heat.  Add garlic and stir fry for 1 minute.  Add the chilli paste and fry until fragrant.

4.  Add crabs into the garlic chilli mixture.  Fry until the crab shells turn red.  Add the sauce mixture and salt.  Stir well and cover with lid until crabs thoroughly turn red.

5.  Add the beaten eggs to thicken sauce.  Lightly stir the sauce.  Add lemon juice, stir again and cook for a further 1 minute.

6.  Turn heat off.  Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice or soft buns.


Tips:
- Before adding the sauce mixture into the wok, give it a good stir in the bowl first as the cornstarch would have settled underneath while waiting.


*Makan is Malay for eat (Malay is the national language of Singapore while English is the first language of the country. Yeah, part of the Uniquely Singapore heritage, I suppose).


Fearlessly Simple & Home Cooked

3 comments:

  1. Wow I miss this ones, everytime I visit Singapore before I would definitely order one of these! One of the best dishes invented. Thanks for sharing this mouth watering recipe, all I can do is just drool as crabs in NZ are seasonal and expensive, and if its in season the size are not big enough.

    Raymund
    http://angsarap.wordpress.com

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  2. Wow I miss this ones, everytime I visit Singapore before I would definitely order one of these! One of the best dishes invented. Thanks for sharing this mouth watering recipe, all I can do is just drool as crabs in NZ are seasonal and expensive, and if its in season the size are not big enough.

    Raymund
    http://angsarap.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. My pleasure, as always. Good food must be shared! :) It's a pity how seafood is elusive in this southern part of the world huh? I've been searching for the perfect fish for all the Asian dishes but have yet to be successful. I hope the warmer season will bring more luck in my seafood finds! In the meantime, keep cooking!!

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