Singapore chilli crab

Ingredients

For 4 servings.

1 cup = 240 ml; 1 tablespoon = 15 ml; 1 teaspoon = 5 ml. Use metric quantities where stated. Times and servings are indicative.

• 1.5 kg fresh raw crab, cleaned and cut by the fishmonger, with juices and tomalley reserved
• 5 chopped long red chillies
• 2 tbsp taucu fermented soybean paste
• 6 garlic cloves, 2 small shallots and 3 tbsp chopped ginger
• 60 ml oil
• 1 tbsp belacan dried shrimp paste
• 240 ml tomato passata
• 120 ml sweet chilli sauce and 2 tbsp ketchup
• 480 ml water
• 1 lightly beaten egg
• 3 tbsp white vinegar
• Coriander and 2 tbsp spring onion to finish

Step-by-step method

1. Separate claws from the other crab pieces. Blend chillies, taucu, garlic, shallots and ginger into a paste.
2. Heat oil in a wide pot; cook belacan for 2 minutes, then chilli paste for 3 minutes, stirring.
3. Add passata and cook for 4 minutes. Stir in sweet chilli sauce, ketchup and water.
4. Add claws first, coat with sauce, cover and simmer for 3 minutes.
5. Add remaining pieces, juices and reserved tomalley; cover and cook for about 7 minutes until the meat is opaque and cooked.
6. Lift crab into a bowl. Stir sauce in circles while pouring in egg in a thin stream, allowing it to set.
7. Stir in vinegar, return crab and coat. Finish with coriander and spring onion and serve with mantou buns or rice.