Fatty Crab's Chili Crab Recipe (2024)

Recipe from Fatty Crab

Adapted by Matt Lee and Ted Lee

Updated Feb. 28, 2024

Fatty Crab's Chili Crab Recipe (1)

Total Time
About 20 minutes
Rating
4(76)
Notes
Read community notes

Matt Lee and Ted Lee snatched this recipe for chili crab from chef Zakary Pelaccio before the first Fatty Crab opened in New York. There are now locations in St. John and Hong Kong. With the restaurant, Pelaccio pays homage to a crab joint he frequented during a seven-month cooking stint in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This recipe calls for blue crabs and spices them up with chili sauce, garlic and ginger among much else. Serve with crab picks, cold beer and many napkins. —Matt Lee And Ted Lee

Featured in: The Industry; The Gambler

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 2tablespoons chili sauce, like sriracha
  • 3tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1tablespoon sugar
  • 3tablespoons rice-wine vinegar
  • 3tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1cup chopped shallots (about 8 ounces)
  • 4cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1tablespoon peanut oil
  • 8blue crabs, cleaned and split, large claws slightly cracked
  • 1egg yolk, beaten
  • ½cup chopped scallions for garnishing

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

184 calories; 6 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 22 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 1081 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Fatty Crab's Chili Crab Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    In a large bowl, whisk the chili sauce, soy sauce, sugar, rice-wine vinegar, tomato paste and sesame oil with 1¼ cups water and reserve.

  2. Step

    2

    Place the shallots, garlic, ginger and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture becomes a smooth paste. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water.

  3. Step

    3

    Heat the peanut oil in a wok over high heat, and when it shimmers, add the shallot paste and fry for 30 seconds until very fragrant. Add the crabs and ⅓ of the chili sauce, and when the liquid simmers, continue to cook for 2 minutes, shaking the pan to cover the crabs with the sauce.

  4. Step

    4

    Add the remaining chili sauce to the pan, and when it reaches a simmer, turn the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and continue to simmer vigorously about 8 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch paste, and when the liquid in the pan thickens, turn off the heat. Add the egg yolk and stir again to combine. Divide the crabs and sauce among 4 plates, sprinkle with the chopped scallions and serve immediately, with crab picks and many napkins.

Ratings

76

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

LEL

What exactly does "...crabs, cleaned and split" mean? This is accomplished with live crabs?

Cary

This is great. Used 4 soft-shell crabs instead. Did not use rice wine, water worked well. No left overs.

Charlotte

Just used a third of the cornstarch slurry. Otherwise, great dish! Been awhile since I was in Singapore, but this definitely brought back the memory of a wonderful dish. Great New Year's Eve dish!

Shawn

Crabs cleaned and split means that they are already long dead, maybe even frozen . The shelves have been leveraged off, the insides are cleaned out and the the crabs are snapped in two .

Carl

What a waste of good crab! Steam them in a cup of vinegar and a cup of beer with some old bay sprinkled on the crabs in the pot. Put a trivet in the bottom of the pot so them do not boil.

AllisonT

Good. The sriracha overwhelmed, so I'll halve that and kick up the ginger next time. Hard to add cornstarch and stir with crabjs in the way, so next time I might omit cornstarch, or remove the crabs to warmed plates and then thicken the sauce. I made with soft shell crabs and served over basmati rice.

Charlotte

Just used a third of the cornstarch slurry. Otherwise, great dish! Been awhile since I was in Singapore, but this definitely brought back the memory of a wonderful dish. Great New Year's Eve dish!

William Fite

Nothing new here. Crabs have been cooked and served in this manner for decades on the Gulf Coast of Florida and in the Panhandle. Sorry, Chef Pelaccio, others beat you to it.

LEL

What exactly does "...crabs, cleaned and split" mean? This is accomplished with live crabs?

Margaret

We've done similar recipes (and will do this one) with leftover steamed or boiled blue crabs from a crab feast. Just shorten the cooking times.
To kill live crabs if you're squeamish, put them in the coldest part of the fridge or in the freezer for a little while. Or in ice water. It immobilizes them. Stab them on the underside behind the mouth and proceed.

Cary

This is great. Used 4 soft-shell crabs instead. Did not use rice wine, water worked well. No left overs.

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Fatty Crab's Chili Crab Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is chilli crab sauce made of? ›

The chilli crab sauce has a combination of chillies, ginger, garlic, ketchup and most importantly, fermented soy beans. The gravy is then thickened and egg is added to it.

What is special about chili crab? ›

Chilli crab is a popular seafood dish among locals and foreigners in Singapore, and consists of mud crabs deep-fried in a sweet, savoury and spicy gravy. It has been referred to in various food publications as Singapore's national seafood dish or even Singapore's national dish.

How to eat chili crab? ›

How to Eat this Iconic Dish? You don't need a knife and fork to have this dish as it is cooked to perfection to make the meat tender. Crab lovers normally dig in this dish with their hands in local seafood restaurants in Singapore. However, you may use nutcrackers and mallets to dig into the tough parts of the shell.

Who invented the chilli crab? ›

Cher Yam Tian was widely credited with inventing chilli crab back in the mid-1950s when she added bottled chilli sauce, instead of her usual ingredient of tomato sauce, into a dish of stir-fried crabs.

Why is it called chili sauce? ›

Chili sauce seems to have surfaced in New England in the last half of the 19th century, said James Farrell, director of the seaport's food services. How it got the name remains a mystery, he said, especially because the original product had no chili peppers in it.

What is the juicy special sauce at Juicy Crab? ›

The famous Juicy Crab sauce is a blend of savory butter and over a dozen seasonings. Spicy additions like Tabasco and cayenne pepper pack a flavorful punch that transforms plain seafood into something special.

Is chili crab worth it? ›

Although the crab meat is delicious, the sweet and savory chili sauce is the real star of the show. In most restaurants in Singapore, chili crab will be served with fried mantou — white steamed buns that have been fried until they turn golden brown — and they are not to be missed.

How much is chilli crab? ›

Best chilli crab restaurants in Singapore: Complete price guide
RestaurantPrice/kg*
Jumbo Singapore$88 (Mud crab, Sri Lankan crab) $238 (Alaskan crab)
Long Beach Singapore$78 (Canadian crab) $88 (Mud crab)
Mellben Seafood Singapore (a.k.a. Ang Mo Kio Crab)$85 Crabs above 1.2kg costs $90/kg
4 more rows
Dec 3, 2019

Is chilli crab hot? ›

Whether they can go easy depends on if they batch cook the sauce, or if they are large enough to have a mild version. It is not so spicy that just name as Chili Crab in terms of tomato in chili base sauce. You can ask less spicy when you place the order.

Is chilli crab a Chinese dish? ›

Chilli crab (Chinese: 辣椒螃蟹; pinyin: làjiāo pángxiè; Malay: ketam lada, ketam cabai, ketam cili) is a Southeast Asian seafood dish that is widely associated with the cuisines of both Malaysia and Singapore.

Should crab be served hot or cold? ›

Fresh Whole-Cooks can be served chilled or heated in a steamer, broiler or oven for 4 to 5 minutes. Clean the crab by removing the gills and viscera before serving. Serve with melted butter or dipping sauce. Frozen products should be thawed before reheating.

Can you eat deviled crab? ›

It is typically served for lunch or as a snack, and it is meant to be eaten with one hand. Deviled crabs are somewhat similar to boardwalk-style Maryland crab cakes. Differences include the oblong shape, the seasonings used, and the preferred method of eating (by hand).

Why is chilli crab unique? ›

The Unique Ingredients of Singaporean Chilli Crab

What sets Singaporean chilli crab apart from other crab dishes is its deliciously spicy sauce. The sauce is made using a secret combination of ingredients that typically includes red chillies, garlic, ginger, tomato sauce, and various condiments.

What ethnicity is boiling crab? ›

The Boiling Crab was founded by Sinh Nguyen and Dada Ngo, a Vietnamese husband-and-wife couple. Nguyen's family mainly worked as crabbers or fishermen in the small Texan town of Seadrift. They opened the chain's first restaurant in 2004 in Garden Grove's Little Saigon.

Is Crabmeat real crab? ›

Authentic crab is just that- it's real crab. Fortunately, most restaurants that offer crab options rely on authentic crab. Many people wonder about canned versus fresh, and how to choose crabmeat. The answer is not clear, as some restaurants will utilize canned crab for their crab dishes.

What is crab sauce made of? ›

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat; stir in flour, onions, and parsley. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the sherry and crabmeat to the flour mixture; gradually add the cream, stirring constantly. Stir in Cajun seasoning and tomato paste.

What are the ingredients in three crabs fish sauce? ›

A: The ingredients are: anchovy extract, water, salt, fructose and hydrolyzed wheat protein. It does not contain any other preservatives nor MSG.

What is Thai seafood sauce made of? ›

Mainly made of sugar, chili, garlic, fish sauce, and lime juice. The sauce gives a little sour, salty, sweet, and spicy taste. It makes a perfect complement to fish, prawns, mussels, or simply any seafood.

What is crab cake sauce made of? ›

Combine 1 1/4 cups mayonnaise, 1/4 cup Dijon (or Creole mustard), 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon capers, 1 clove garlic, and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice in a food processor or high-speed blender.

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