Chilli Crab

What it really is

Chilli crab is a Singapore seafood dish built around crab in a sweet-savory chilli and tomato-based sauce. Mud crab is cooked in chilli sauce and served with fried bread buns for dipping. It is a named local classic, though individual restaurant sauces differ in sweetness, heat and thickness.

The crab is cooked in a wok or pan with aromatics and a sauce commonly based on chilli, tomato, garlic and ginger. Beaten egg is often stirred in near the end to thicken the sauce into soft ribbons, but restaurant practice varies. The name should not be read as a standardized heat level: some versions are mild and rounded, while others are sharper and more peppery. Whole crab is commonly used, which gives the sauce a seafood richness during cooking.

How it's served

Chilli crab is usually a shared centerpiece. Diners crack the shell and scoop the sauce with mantou, fried or steamed buns; rice may also be served. Because the dish is messy and communal, restaurants often provide shell crackers and finger bowls. Exact crab species and size depend on supply.

• Serve freshly prepared at a temperature and texture that suit the dish.
• Accompaniments can vary; list them separately when they are not integral to the recipe.
• Portion size and presentation depend on the setting, from a home meal to a restaurant plate.

How to write it on the menu

Crab is a crustacean allergen. Confirm whether egg thickens the sauce and whether soy, sesame or other seafood is included. State the crab species when known and explain that shell fragments may be present; do not treat the dipping bun as included unless it is.

• Name the defining ingredients and cooking method rather than relying on an unfamiliar dish name alone.
• Do not describe a regional food as exclusive to one country where a wider shared food tradition is documented.
• Ask the kitchen about the current recipe, stock, garnishes and shared equipment before making dietary assurances.