Don Signature Crab - Singapore Food Guide

Seafood Stir Fry

A Singapore-style wok-fried seafood stir fry with prawns, squid and crisp vegetables in a garlicky soy-oyster sauce — quick, fragrant and perfect for a heartland weeknight meal.

Seafood Stir Fry

About this dish

This seafood stir fry is the kind of dish you’ll find both at home and at casual zi char stalls across Singapore — simple, fast and full of wok-kissed flavour. Sweet prawns and tender squid are tossed with bright broccoli and red capsicum, finished in a glossy soy-oyster sauce and a splash of sesame oil. It’s built for rice, and for sharing family-style at the table after a long day in the CBD or for a laid-back makan with neighbours in the heartlands.

The texture is the appeal here: a little bite from blanched broccoli, the snap of capsicum and seafood that’s just-cooked — not rubbery. The flavour leans savoury and garlicky with a hint of sweetness from sugar and oyster sauce; add a finger of sambal or sliced chilli padi if you want the chilli heat typical of many Singapore hawker plates. At home, a hot wok and a few pantry sauces (light soy, oyster sauce, fish sauce) are all you need to recreate that zi char-style finish.

This recipe suits busy parents, supper crowds and potluck spreads alike. Cook it for weeknight dinners with steamed jasmine rice, bring it to a neighbourhood potluck for a family-style sharing platter, or scale up for festive occasions when seafood is always welcome at the table. Tips below cover sourcing ingredients at NTUC FairPrice, Cold Storage or your wet market, and how to get proper wok hei even in a small home kitchen.

Ingredients

  • 200 g medium prawns, peeled and deveined
  • 200 g squid tubes, cleaned and sliced into 1 cm rings
  • 2 cups (about 150–200 g) broccoli florets or broccolini pieces
  • 1 small red capsicum (about 100 g), sliced into strips
  • 1 small carrot, julienned (optional for colour)
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 small red chilli or 1–2 bird's eye chillies, sliced (optional)
  • 3 spring onions, white and green parts separated and sliced
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable, canola or peanut oil)
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp fish sauce (optional, for extra umami)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
  • 3 tbsp water or light chicken/seafood stock
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 lime or calamansi, cut into wedges to serve
  • Cooked jasmine rice or garlic fried rice, to serve
  • Optional: 1 tsp kecap manis for a touch of caramel sweetness or 1 tbsp sambal belacan for heat

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Pat the prawns and squid dry with kitchen paper — removing surface moisture helps them sear instead of steam.
  2. In a small bowl mix 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp fish sauce (if using), 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp cornflour and 3 tbsp water or stock until the cornflour dissolves. Set aside.
  3. Bring a small pot of water to the boil and blanch the broccoli for 1–2 minutes until bright green and still crisp. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking; drain well.
  4. Heat a wok over high heat until smoking slightly. Add 1 tbsp oil and swirl to coat. Add the prawns in a single layer and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes until they start to turn pink. Add the squid rings and stir-fry for another 45–60 seconds. Transfer seafood to a plate; it will finish cooking later.
  5. Return the wok to high heat, add the remaining 1 tbsp oil and stir-fry the minced garlic and the white parts of the spring onions for 20–30 seconds until fragrant — don’t let the garlic burn.
  6. Add the red capsicum, carrot (if using) and blanched broccoli. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp and still vibrant.
  7. Give the sauce mixture a quick stir (cornflour settles) then pour into the wok. Toss everything quickly so the sauce thickens and coats the vegetables with a glossy sheen.
  8. Return the prawns and squid with any resting juices to the wok. Stir-fry on high for another 1–2 minutes until the seafood is just cooked through and you can smell a hint of wok hei.
  9. Turn off the heat, drizzle 1 tsp sesame oil, add the green parts of the spring onions and season with freshly ground black pepper to taste. Squeeze lime or calamansi over the dish if you like a bright finish.
  10. Serve immediately over steamed jasmine rice or garlic fried rice, with sambal or achar on the side for a local zi char-style meal. Taste and adjust with a dash more light soy or a pinch of sugar, just like a hawker would.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • Buy fresh prawns and squid from your local wet market or NTUC FairPrice; smaller prawns cook faster and stay juicier.
  • Keep the wok very hot to develop a little wok hei — preheat for several minutes and work in batches so you don’t steam the seafood.
  • If you don’t have oyster sauce, use a mix of light soy and a pinch of mushroom seasoning; add a little kecap manis for sweetness if you want a caramelised edge.
  • Adjust chilli heat with sliced bird's eye chillies or sambal belacan; remove seeds for milder flavour suitable for kids.
  • Make ahead: cook the components separately (blanch veg, cook seafood lightly) and finish in the wok just before serving. Leftovers keep well for next-day lunch boxes — reheat quickly in a hot pan to revive texture.
  • Find cornflour, fish sauce and sesame oil at Cold Storage or Sheng Siong if your pantry is low — common in Singapore supermarkets.

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