Singapore-style pepper crab

Name: Singapore-style pepper crab recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 mud crabs; 1 tbs black peppercorns, toasted; 2 tsp white peppercorns, toasted; 100g unsalted butter; 1 tbs vegetable oil; Handful curry leaves; 1 bunch long green shallots, white and light green part chopped, green part thinly sliced; 3cm piece ginger, grated; 2 long green chillies, seeds removed, chopped; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 100ml kecap manis; 100ml oyster sauce; 1 tbs fish sauce; 2 tsp caster sugar; Juice of 1 lime; Crustless white bread, to serve

Rate now

Jump to recipe

by delicious. team

delicious. team

Aug 18, 2021

This South-East Asian favourite is a must make. Give it a crack!

2 mud crabs
1 tbs black peppercorns, toasted
2 tsp white peppercorns, toasted
100g unsalted butter
1 tbs vegetable oil
Handful curry leaves
1 bunch long green shallots, white and light green part chopped, green part thinly sliced
3cm piece ginger, grated
2 long green chillies, seeds removed, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
100ml kecap manis
100ml oyster sauce
1 tbs fish sauce
2 tsp caster sugar
Juice of 1 lime
Crustless white bread, to serve

Method

1.

Place crabs in the freezer for 30 minutes to put them to sleep.
2.

Grind peppercorns in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Place a wok over medium-high heat. Add the butter and oil, then add the ground pepper and curry leaves and toast for 30 seconds. Add the white and light green shallot, ginger, chilli and garlic, and cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the kecap manis, oyster sauce, fish sauce and ½ cup (125ml) water. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then season with sugar and lime juice and turn off the heat.
3.

Remove crabs from the freezer. Place 1 crab on its back on a chopping board. Working quickly, lift the abdominal flap and insert a knife through the body directly underneath where the tip of the flap was. Then insert the knife through the shallow depression at the front of the body, below the mouthparts, at an angle. Remove shell and discard gills. Quarter crabs. Using a rolling pin or back of the knife, gently crack claws part-way through. Repeat with remaining crab.
4.

Bring pepper sauce to a simmer. Add the crab and toss to coat completely. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 7-8 minutes until crab is red and cooked through.
5.

Remove from the heat, scatter with reserved sliced long green shallot and serve with white bread.