Claypot Crab Bee Hoon Soup (Milky Broth)
Singapore-style claypot crab bee hoon soup with a rich milky broth made from simmered bones and shellfish, finished in a claypot for a comforting, hawker-style family meal.
About this dish
This Claypot Crab Bee Hoon Soup (Milky Broth) is a Singapore comfort dish that combines sweet crab, silky rice vermicelli and a luxuriously opaque broth — the kind of bowl you’d happily order from a zi char stall in a heartland hawker centre or serve for a weekend family dinner in an HDB flat. The milky soup here is achieved by extracting collagen and flavour from pork bones and shellfish, then finishing the pot with a touch of evaporated milk (optional) for extra silkiness — a common local trick to mimic the creamy hawker version.
In Singapore we often tuck into this at medium-large gatherings, or as a warming supper on rainy evenings along East Coast or in Tiong Bahru. It suits busy parents who can make the stock ahead, young couples wanting a fuss-free date-night dinner at home, or anyone chasing that nostalgic kopitiam / zi char vibe. Serve it bubbling in a claypot on the table, let everyone ladle their own bowl of bee hoon and crab, and pass around sambal belacan or sliced chilli padi for those who like heat.
Expect a flavour profile of sweet crab, gentle umami from prawn shells and pork bones, a faint ginger warmth, and a clean, peppery finish. The texture is comforting — thin, springy bee hoon soaking up the creamy broth, with tender crab meat and a scattering of fresh spring onions and coriander. Local variations are welcome: use mud crab or flower crab depending on budget, add a splash of Shaoxing wine to lift the aroma, or make it easier with a pressure cooker stock if you’re short on time.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg live mud crab or flower crab, cleaned and cut into halves (or 2 medium crabs)
- 200 g dried rice vermicelli (bee hoon), soaked in warm water for 10 minutes and drained
- 1 kg pork neck bones or pork ribs (for stock)
- 300 g prawn heads and shells (optional, for extra umami)
- 2.5 litres cold water
- 1 thumb (40 g) fresh ginger, smashed and sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
- 2 tbsp cooking oil (vegetable or peanut)
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp sugar (palm sugar or caster sugar)
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground white pepper, plus extra to taste
- 100 ml evaporated milk or light cream (optional, for extra silkiness)
- 2 stalks spring onions, sliced (white and green parts separated)
- A small bunch coriander leaves, roughly chopped, for garnish
- 2–4 bird’s eye chillies (chilli padi), thinly sliced, optional
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- Salt to taste
Step-by-Step Method
- 1. Prepare the stock: blanch the pork bones and prawn shells in a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes to remove scum, then drain and rinse bones and shells under running water.
- 2. Simmer the broth: return blanched bones and prawn shells to a clean pot with 2.5 litres cold water, add sliced ginger and crushed garlic, bring to a vigorous boil, then lower to a steady rolling simmer for 45–60 minutes. For a quicker option, use a pressure cooker for 30 minutes.
- 3. Extract the milky look: to encourage a milky, opaque broth (like hawker claypot soup), keep the stock at a gentle rolling boil during the first 20–30 minutes so collagen emulsifies; do not over-skim away all the fat — this gives the broth body. Skim only heavy impurities.
- 4. Strain and season the stock: strain the broth into a clean pot, discard solids, then add Shaoxing wine, fish sauce, light soy, sugar and white pepper. Taste and adjust — the profile should be slightly savoury, lightly sweet, with heat from white pepper.
- 5. Flash-cook the crab: heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide wok or claypot over medium-high heat, add white parts of spring onions and a little ginger, then add crab pieces and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until shells turn bright; splash 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine and a few ladles of hot stock, cover and steam for 4–6 minutes until crab is just cooked.
- 6. Combine noodles and broth: add the drained bee hoon to the claypot or serving pot, pour over the hot milky broth (and optional evaporated milk), toss gently so the bee hoon soaks but doesn’t go mushy. Bring back to a gentle simmer for 1–2 minutes for the noodles to finish.
- 7. Finish and garnish: add cooked crab pieces back in, adjust seasoning with salt and more white pepper if needed, drizzle sesame oil, scatter sliced spring onions, coriander and sliced chilli padi if using.
- 8. Serve: transfer the soup in the claypot to the table (on a trivet), keep it simmering if desired. Serve with sambal belacan, lime or extra soy on the side — let everyone ladle their own bowl of bee hoon and crab.
- 9. Make-ahead / leftovers: refrigerate cooled broth separately for up to 3 days or freeze for 2 months. Reheat gently and add fresh bee hoon when serving to avoid soggy noodles.
Tips & Serving Ideas
- Choose crab based on budget: mud crab gives more meat and sweet roe, flower crab is more affordable and still delicious — frozen crabs from NTUC or Cold Storage work fine.
- To get a milky broth faster, use a pressure cooker for the bones and prawn shells (20–30 minutes) — many Singapore home cooks use this shortcut to achieve hawker-style creaminess.
- If you prefer a richer finish, stir in 50–100 ml evaporated milk at the end; this is a common hawker trick but optional for a lighter soup.
- Soak bee hoon briefly in warm water rather than boiling in the soup to prevent it going gluey; add to the hot broth just before serving so noodles stay springy.
- Adjust heat with chilli padi or sambal belacan served on the side — Singaporeans often flavour to taste at the table.
- Claypot care: heat gradually to avoid cracking — start on medium and move to low once simmering. Alternatively use a heavy-bottomed pot if you don’t have a claypot.
- Make extra broth and freeze in portions; it’s a great base for next-day soups, congee or noodle bowls, and saves time for busy weeknights.
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