Don Signature Crab - Singapore Food Guide

Chili Crab Sauce (to go with Fried Mantou)

A Singapore-style chilli crab sauce — tangy, sweet and slightly spicy wok-simmered gravy perfect for dunking fried mantou or tossing with fresh crab.

Chili Crab Sauce (to go with Fried Mantou)

About this dish

This chilli crab sauce is a hawker-friendly, home-cook version of the iconic Singapore dish, pared down to a silky, flavourful sauce made for dunking golden fried mantou. In many kopitiams and zi char stalls from Tiong Bahru flats to East Coast seafood restaurants, the irresistible sweet-tangy-spicy sauce is the star — here we focus on making that sauce at home, with the option to add pre-cooked crab or keep it as a dipping gravy for mantou and buns.

The sauce balances tomato sweetness, sambal heat, and umami depth from a touch of belacan or oyster sauce, finished with beaten egg for a glossy texture and a squeeze of calamansi or lime to lift the flavours. It’s perfect for family-style sharing at dinner, a potluck dish for friends, or a late-night supper with steamed rice and crusty fried mantou. Think of it as Singapore comfort food: messy, saucy and very satisfying.

Make this in a wok or large skillet on medium-high heat, using chicken stock (or water) and a cornstarch slurry to get the classic clingy coating. Tip in chopped chillies or chilli padi to tune heat—Singapores love it fiery, but the recipe can be dialled down for young eaters. Serve at a heartland gathering or treat it as the centrepiece for a weekend seafood feast with beer or kopi-siong on the side.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 shallots, finely sliced
  • 1 thumb (20 g) ginger, julienned
  • 2 red bird's eye chillies, sliced (adjust to taste)
  • 3 tbsp sambal belacan or good-quality chilli paste
  • 120 g tomato ketchup
  • 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce or Sriracha for extra heat
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce (or 1 tsp vegetarian mushroom sauce)
  • 300 ml chicken stock (or prawn stock if using seafood)
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar or 1 tbsp calamansi juice
  • 2 tsp caster sugar (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 3 tbsp water (cornstarch slurry)
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 tbsp butter (optional, for gloss and richness)
  • 2 spring onions, chopped (for garnish)
  • 1 lime or 3 calamansi, halved (to serve)
  • Optional: 1–1.2 kg live or pre-cooked mud crab or Sri Lankan crab, cleaned and cut into pieces (if you want to make it into full chilli crab)
  • Optional: 6–8 fried mantou (store-bought or homemade) for dipping
  • Optional garnish: coriander leaves and toasted sesame seeds

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Prepare ingredients: mix tomato ketchup, sweet chilli sauce, light soy, oyster sauce, sugar and chicken stock in a bowl; have the cornflour slurry and beaten egg ready in separate small bowls.
  2. Heat a wok over medium-high heat until hot. Add vegetable oil, then toss in garlic, shallots and ginger; stir-fry for 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
  3. Add sliced bird's eye chillies and sambal belacan; stir-fry for another 30 seconds to release the aromas. Be careful — the steam can be spicy.
  4. Pour in the sauce mixture and bring to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for 3–5 minutes so the flavours marry and the sauce reduces slightly.
  5. If using raw/cooked crab pieces: add them now and toss to coat. Cover and simmer for 5–8 minutes until crab is heated through and absorbs the sauce. For sauce-only version skip this step.
  6. Stir the cornstarch slurry again and slowly pour into the simmering sauce while stirring continuously. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy — it should cling to the back of a spoon.
  7. Turn the heat to low and drizzle in the beaten egg in a thin stream while stirring to create the silky ribbons typical of chilli crab sauce. Swirl in the butter for extra sheen if using.
  8. Taste and adjust: add a squeeze of lime or calamansi to brighten, more sugar if too tart, or a dash more light soy for umami — like at a zi char stall, balance is key.
  9. Garnish with chopped spring onions and coriander, transfer to a serving bowl or leave in the wok for communal sharing.
  10. Serve immediately with hot fried mantou for dunking, steamed rice, and lime on the side. If using crab, provide extra napkins — this dish is meant to be eaten hands-on.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • If you can't get fresh sambal belacan, use a good-quality chilli paste (look for brands at NTUC, Cold Storage or Sheng Siong) and add a small pinch of shrimp paste or fish sauce for depth.
  • Adjust spice by reducing bird's eye chillies for children or adding more sambal for the chilli-tolerant — Singaporeans often add extra heat at the table.
  • To get glossy, clingy sauce, make sure your cornstarch slurry is well mixed and added while the sauce is simmering; too cold and it won't thicken properly.
  • For authentic umami, lightly roast a small slice of belacan in a dry pan before using, or add a teaspoon of anchovy paste if you prefer convenience.
  • If making ahead, keep sauce and fried mantou separate. Reheat sauce gently in a wok with a splash of stock to loosen before serving; re-fry mantou for a minute to regain crispiness.
  • Want more wok hei? Turn heat up briefly when adding crab (if using) and give quick, vigorous tosses in a well-seasoned wok — but reduce heat before adding the egg.
  • Substitute chicken stock with prawn or crab stock for a deeper seafood flavour; freeze leftover sauce in portions for quick weekday meals.

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