Travel and food, food and travel – this is our weekend travel inspiration.
Food is the way we meet people whether it be at the markets, at a café or ordering from a street stall as we did in Singapore. Food is also something that we just enjoy for the tastes and the sociable nature of the eating process.
Singapore is a bustling city where food reigns supreme. The cultural fusion of Chinese, Malay, Indian and indeed British influence, makes this city highly appealing to visit and to devour the many dishes on offer. Singapore is known as the “City of the Lion” which indicates its strength and courage in facing many challenges.
Food is not one of these challenges as the city is a feast waiting to happen.
For a real taste of Singapore, try this signature seafood dish – Singaporean Chili Crab.
These hard shelled crabs are cooked in a sweet, salty, chili-hot tomato sauce. Potentially the most popular of all crab dishes, Singapore chilli crab is totally decadent.
Singapore is hot and humid city, and this dish will only make you feel the heat more .. in a very good way.
Most recipes call for mud crab, because of the amount of meat found inside. Singaporean Chili Crab is totally delicious and it is a messy dish to eat, but well worth the effort.
Singaporean Chili Crab Ingredients
4 uncooked blue swimmer crabs
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 long fresh red chillies, seeded, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh galangal
1 stalk lemongrass, white part only, finely chopped
1/4 cup (60ml) tomato sauce
1/4 cup (60ml) sweet chilli sauce
2 tablespoons shaoxing wine or sherry
2 tablespoons kecap manis (a sweet and sour sauce)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon finely grated palm sugar
1 bunch green onions, trimmed, thinly sliced
1 bunch coriander, leaves picked
Steamed Rice
Method to cook Singaporean Chili Crab
1. To segment the crab, lift the triangular tail flap on the underside of the body and hold. With the other hand, pull off the top part of the shell. Discard the top shell. Remove and discard the spongy, finger-like gills. Cut the body into quarters. Use a nutcracker or the blunt edge of a large knife to crack the large claws.
2. Heat the oil in a wok over high heat until just smoking. Add the crab and stir-fry for 10 minutes or until the shell changes colour and meat turns white.
3. Add the chilli, garlic, galangal and lemongrass and stir-fry for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the tomato sauce, sweet chilli sauce, wine, kecap manis, lime juice and sugar and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until sauce boils and thickens slightly. Remove from heat and add half the green onions and coriander and toss until just combined.
4. Spoon the crab and sauce among serving bowls. Sprinkle with remaining green onion and coriander. Serve immediately with steamed rice, if desired.
It is not a difficult dish to make and you will feel that you are in the heart of the Singapore , when you try this deliciously hot Singaporean Chili Crab.
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I lovvve singapore chilli crab! But I’m a total disaster at cooking. Where did you have that delicious looking crab? was it a restaurant or a food court? YUM!
Food court in Singapore. The food courts are fantastic.
We often buy crab at the Sydney fish markets. I’ll give your recipe a try next time.
Let us know how you go. Send photos.
This looks absolutely delicious and I haven’t had dinner yet. We totally missed this when we were in Singapore years ago. Thanks for including the recipe. My husband likes to cook so I’m passing this on to him.
Thanks Mary, let me know how your husband goes with it. It is a delicious recipe.
Thanks chili crab dish looks delicious – if only I could actually cook seafood:)
I know; Gordon is allergic to prawns, which means being a good wife I have to have them for him.
Singaporean Chili Crab is one of my favorite dishes in the world. We always make sure to eat at Jumbo Seafood whenever we are in Singapore so that we can enjoy it, especially with the buns to soak up the sauce. Thanks for including the recipe. It seems like something that I may actually be able to cook at home.
It is not too difficult and you can always adapt it to suit yourself. I doubt that I have ever followed a recipe to the letter of the law ever. Problem is, if it is fantastic it cannot be recreated.
Paula, this post has my mouth watering …..
Team #wkendtravelinspiration
Me too. I think I may make it this weekend. Team #wkendtravelinspiration
I didn’t love Singapore, but it is such a cultural cross-roads that eating (and shopping) there is fun and amazingly varied. I’m sure the crab is amazing.
I had mixed feelings about Singapore, but what won me over was the food.
I travel frequently to Singapore and I love this dish – I love Black Pepper crab too, it’s my absolute favourite thing!
Black pepper crab is so good. Maybe I might feature that soon. I will try and find our photo of it and will get a good recipe from a friend in Singapore.
Yum, yum. I love Singaporean crab. Yay #wkendtravelinspiration!
Pretty special isn’t it.
That looks absolutely delicious! I’ve never cooked crab before. I might just have to give this a shot.
I love crab, more so than lobster actually. Good luck, and send photos
Delicious 🙂
Yep 🙂
Chili crab is a dish we somehow missed when we were in Singapore. It was our first country as we set out around the world, and we really didn’t have a clue what we were doing. Interesting recipe, with a lot of ingredients I don’t know, but I am sure I can find them in NZ.
New Zealand has amazing produce, so I think you will be able to replicate this easily.