Singapore pepper crab is a delicacy very popular in Singapore. Restaurants along the East coast in Singapore serve this yummy and spicy dish. Tourists flock the restaurants in East Coast to taste this dish. The crabs are actually deep fried in oil but I have modified it to make healthier.

Serves 4

Cooking time 20 minutes

Ingredients

4 Crabs medium size cleaned and cut into 2 pieces

2 onions medium size chopped into small pieces

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

5cm ginger finely chopped

6 teaspoons crushed pepper

1-tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

¼ cup spring onions sliced

¼ bunch of coriander/cilantro leaves chopped fine

3 tablespoons butter/vegetable oil

Heat butter in a wok, add garlic, ginger sauté for few minutes. Add chopped onion, sauté for 5min, until they are translucent. Add crushed pepper, sauté for a minute; add cleaned crabs, soya sauce, and oyster sauce. Mix well, cover the wok and leave it to cook for 5 minutes. As the crabs turn pink, check salt and spice; (soya sauce is salty so less than ½ teaspoon may be needed). Mix thoroughly. Add spring onions and cilantro for garnishing. Serve when still hot with steamed rice.

Notes: This is a very spicy dish. If you like it mild, add only 3 teaspoons of crushed pepper.

Cleaning the crab: Live crabs are generally immersed in hot boiling water for few minutes or can be placed in freezer for 4-5 hours. Under the crab there is flap, lift it and remove the shell, discard the soft mustard colored gills and clean the stomach. Cut the claws. Front portion of the legs can be discarded.

copyright © Vinaya Pai 2018