A generous crab coated in a glossy red sauce that is sweet-spicy, tangy, and bound with egg, just like in the zi char stalls of Singapore. Serve piping hot with mantou to mop up every last drop of sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 kg brown crabs, cooked or live, prepared by the fishmonger
- 4 pieces shallots
- 5 cloves garlic
- 35 g fresh ginger
- 4 pieces fresh mild or medium red chili peppers
- 1 piece fresh red bird's eye chili pepper
- 4 tbsp sunflower oil
- 120 g tomato ketchup
- 80 g Asian sweet chili sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 300 ml water
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 pieces eggs
- 2 pieces scallion
- 0.5 bunches fresh cilantro
- 8 pieces frozen mantou buns
Method
- Prepare the crab: detach the claws, cut the body into easy-to-handle pieces, and crack the shells slightly so the sauce can penetrate; reserve any juices, which should smell distinctly of the sea.
- Blend or pound the shallots, garlic, ginger, and chili peppers until a coarse, wet paste forms that is fragrant and orange-red.
- Heat a large wok or a wide sauté pan with the oil, then sauté the aromatic paste over medium heat until it loses its raw smell, darkens slightly, and the oil begins to separate around the edges.
- Add the ketchup, sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and water; bring to a simmer until the sauce becomes glossy and balanced between sweet, tangy, and spicy.
- Add the crab pieces and the reserved juices, cover, and let simmer, stirring gently occasionally, until the meat is heated through and the shells are well coated.
- Slurry the cornstarch with a little cold water, pour into the sauce, and stir until it coats the back of a spoon cleanly without becoming heavy.
- Beat the eggs, lower the heat slightly, then pour them into the sauce in a fine stream while stirring gently to form silky ribbons rather than an omelet.
- While the sauce finishes gently simmering, steam the mantou or quickly pan-fry them until they are soft inside and slightly crispy on the outside.
- Transfer the crab to a large, deep serving dish, coat generously with the sauce, sprinkle with sliced scallion and cilantro, and serve immediately with the piping hot mantou.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 778.4 kcal
- Protein
- 102.85 g
- Carbohydrate
- 35.51 g
- Fat
- 24.79 g
- Fibre
- 3.77 g
- Calcium
- 308.81 mg
- Iron
- 9.25 mg
- Magnesium
- 304.19 mg
