Go Back

Malaysian-style Chili Crab Recipe

Impress your guests with this delicious Malaysian-style chili crab recipe! It's perfect for any occasion.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Malaysian

Ingredients
  

  • 5 flower crabs cleaned and broken into 3-4 pieces each
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
  • 3 tbsp tomato ketchup or tomato paste
  • 3 tbsp sweet chili sauce
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 /2 tsp dark soy sauce optional (for richer color)
  • 1/2 tbsp tapioca starch or corn starch
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • Dash of salt or to taste
  • Chopped spring onions for garnish

For the chili spice paste (makes 4 tbsp):

  • 6 fresh red chilies
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbsp bean paste

Instructions
 

How to prepare the crabs:

  • Rinse and clean each crab with water.
  • Remove the top shell by pulling it off.
  • Turn the crab upside down, cut away the flap in the middle of the back.
  • Using a chopper knife or another strong kitchen tool (a stone pestle in my case), crack the body and claws open. The flower crabs have softer shells, so you can break the crab into half or into three-four parts quite easily.
  • After you break the crab into pieces, rinse it over again.
  • Now the crabs are ready to be cooked.

Cooking the crabs:

  • In large wok, add 2 to 3 tbsp oil. Let oil heat for a moment, then add the chili spice paste and grated ginger. Stir-fry on medium fire for a minute until fragrant.
  • Throw in crab pieces, onions, chili sauce, tomato paste, soy sauce and dark soy sauce.
  • Add 1 cup of water and stir everything together. Cover for 4 minutes.
  • Stir in tapioca starch. As the liquid dries out, add the last 1/2 cup water.
  • Turn the heat up, and cook for 5 minutes, bringing the sauce to a boil. The crabs are done when the shells turn a beautiful dark orange and the flesh turns opaque.
  • Serve the crabs on a platter and garnish with chopped spring onions.

Notes

If you have any leftover gravy, don’t throw it away. You can store it in the refrigerator and use it later as a flavoring for fried rice, as a topping on toast, or as a dipping sauce for Chinese steamed buns.
Keyword crab, chili
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!