Don Signature Crab - Singapore Food Guide

Black Pepper Crab (Restaurant Style)

Singapore-style wok-fried Black Pepper Crab with cracked black pepper, garlic and a glossy restaurant-style butter sauce — perfect for family-style zi char dinners or hawker-centre nostalgia.

Black Pepper Crab (Restaurant Style)

About this dish

Black Pepper Crab is a beloved zi char and hawker-centre classic in Singapore — the peppery cousin to chilli crab that hits differently: savoury, fragrant and punchy. This restaurant-style version recreates the bold, glossy sauce you’d expect at Long Beach or your favourite East Coast zi char stall, using freshly cracked black pepper, butter and a rich umami base so every crab piece is lacquered in flavour.

In Singapore we often share crab family-style over a big plate of steamed rice or fried mantou, at heartland kopitiams, weekend dinners at East Coast, or celebratory feasts during family gatherings. The texture is an essential part of the experience: crisp-edged shell from a hot wok, sweet juicy crab meat and a pepper-forward sauce with a hint of sweetness and acidity to balance the heat.

This recipe is written for a typical Singapore home kitchen — a large wok, pantry staples from NTUC or the wet market, and simple techniques to build wok hei and a restaurant sheen. There are options for adjusting the spice (use crushed chilli padi for more kick) and swaps for different crab types. Serve immediately, with plenty of napkins and a platter for shells — it’s meant for sharing the Singapore way.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 kg live mud crab (or Sri Lankan crab / blue swimmer), cleaned and cut into pieces (leave claws whole or halved)
  • 2 tsp salt (for blanching/cleaning)
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil (for frying / wok)
  • 40 g unsalted butter
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 3 shallots, thinly sliced
  • 1 thumb (about 15 g) ginger, julienned
  • 2–3 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper (adjust to taste) plus 1 tsp whole peppercorns lightly crushed
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp dark soy sauce (for colour)
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (restaurant touch)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 120 ml chicken stock (or prawn stock)
  • 1 tsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry) or 1 tbsp rice wine
  • 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water (slurry) to thicken
  • 2 stalks spring onion, cut into 5 cm lengths
  • 1 red bird's eye chilli or 1 small red chilli, sliced (optional, for colour)
  • Lime wedges to serve
  • Fresh coriander/cilantro sprigs for garnish (optional)

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Prepare the crab: if using live crab, humanely dispatch and clean, then cut into legs and body pieces. Crack the claw shells lightly with a mallet — this lets the sauce penetrate. Rinse and pat dry. Toss crab pieces with a pinch of salt and set aside.
  2. Make your mise en place: mince garlic, slice shallots, julienne ginger, crush the black pepper if not pre-cracked, and mix the light soy, oyster sauce, dark soy, Worcestershire, sugar, Shaoxing and chicken stock in a bowl.
  3. Par-cook the crab: heat a large wok over high heat until smoking. Add 1 tbsp oil and sear the crab pieces in batches, about 2 minutes per side, until shells turn bright red and you see some char. Remove and set aside. (This step develops wok hei and colour.)
  4. Aromatics: lower heat to medium-high, add the remaining oil and melt butter in the wok. Add shallots, garlic and ginger and stir-fry quickly until fragrant and golden — about 30–45 seconds. Keep the heat up to avoid burning.
  5. Pepper lift: add the freshly cracked black pepper and crushed peppercorns to the aromatics and toast briefly for 10–15 seconds to release oils.
  6. Build the sauce: pour in the prepared sauce mixture and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust — like many zi char stalls, balance saltiness with a little sugar or more light soy if needed.
  7. Combine crab with sauce: return the seared crab pieces to the wok, toss to coat and simmer on medium heat for 4–6 minutes until the crab is cooked through and the sauce reduces slightly. Spoon sauce over the meat so it soaks into the joints.
  8. Thicken and finish: stir in the cornflour slurry a little at a time while stirring to reach a glossy restaurant-style consistency. Swirl in the remaining butter off-heat for shine and extra mouthfeel. Add spring onions and sliced red chilli, toss once.
  9. Serve immediately: transfer to a large platter, garnish with coriander and lime wedges. Serve with steamed jasmine rice or fried mantou to mop up the peppery sauce. Clean-up tip: keep a bowl for shells and plenty of napkins — this is a messy, hands-on Singapore favourite.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • Buy fresh live crabs from your local wet market (Geylang, Tekka Centre) or the seafood counter at NTUC/Cold Storage; ask them to clean and cut if you prefer not to do it at home.
  • Use freshly cracked black pepper — it makes a big difference in aroma and heat compared with pre-ground pepper. Adjust quantity to suit Singapore family tastes.
  • High heat is essential for wok hei: preheat the wok until it smokes lightly before searing crab, then turn down to medium when making the sauce to avoid burning the aromatics.
  • If mud crab is not available, Sri Lankan crab or blue swimmer crab are good substitutes — reduce cooking time slightly for smaller crabs.
  • To keep the sauce glossy like restaurant-style, finish with a knob of butter off the heat and avoid over-thickening with cornflour.
  • Make-ahead note: you can prepare the sauce and aromatics in advance and assemble quickly on the day. Cooked crab tastes best fresh; leftovers reheat gently on the stove and serve with rice.
  • For extra heat Singapore-style, add 2–3 chopped chilli padi when stir-frying the aromatics, or serve sambal belacan on the side for guests who want more punch.

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