Turns out that “rustling” up three guests for a rustic chili crab dinner isn’t so hard to do with just a few hours notice… :) We cooked these amazingly fresh crabs that just landed from Palawan, Singapore chili crab style, recipe here.
This was a messy, finger-licking good meal. The tablecloth was covered with manila paper held together with some duct tape. At each place setting, we put a large serving platter (bandehado) and large red kitchen towels to double as enormous napkins or bibs, if guests wanted/needed them. Containers filled with paper napkins were on the table as well. The rules? No rules, eat your crab however you please… and it is amazing to see how fans of crab can really attack their meal…
Not a single piece of crab was left by the end of supper. Extra bowls of chili crab sauce were placed on the table, so everyone could add it to their rice and mix it all up. Worried that the single dish wouldn’t be enough, I also made a large bowl of egg noodles with chicken and asparagus… but this dish was left nearly untouched.
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Looks finger lickin’ good! Would probably pair great with a nice cold beer… Yum!
delish!!! wonder if you have a recipe for salted egg crabs/prawns? :)
been reading your blog for almost 4 yrs now :)
a favorite dish in our household.
yummy looking spicy crabs! but what i want to cook now is the noodles with chicken and asparagus!
YUM, MM!!! You really are a crab expert. :-) Once, we were gifted with four kilos of frozen crabs straight from a private farm in Negros. They were already cooked, so I just sauteed them with some butter, ginger, onions, garlic, etc. The two people we invited couldn’t make it to dinner, so there were just two of us with four kilos of huge crabs! We tried to eat as much as we could (and I made sure to eat all the claws — my favorite part), but it was just too much. Never mind, we thought, the leftovers would be something to look forward to. But, much to our dismay, by the very next day, the crabs tasted off already! Even the tons of aligue, which we had put in a separate container, was spoiled. Such a waste of delicious (and not very cheap nor common) food! :-( Do crabs really go bad that quickly?
they look like fat, luscious crabs. yum, yum. How do stay slim and trim with all these gourmet meals?
Wow sarap naman! Makes me think of No Signboard Seafood’s chili crab
Even MM, who always has elegant table settings..uses duct tape! I love it! of course the crabs look delicious…
Pwerteng lami-a..ang sarap naman niyan.Just like the chili crab that I had for lunch when I was visiting Malacca in the late 90s. But, it was not only having lunch on that island, it was a celebration, an important event fortnightly..
I’m a sucker for crabs!!! Chili crab and crispy salted crab are my favorite styles!
I love crabs, shrimps, oysters.
It’s an indulgence for me now since I’m watching my cholesterol, huhuhu… :(((
Wow, I was just thinking of cooking alimango using your Singaporean chili crab recipe which I tried some years back. It’s very good!
I am salivating now, yummy!
burp!
MM, next time, you may want to try crabs with salted egg sauce. dip cut-up crabs in cornstarch, deep-fry and set aside. in a wok, melt about one stick butter, then add the mashed yolks (yolks only!) of three salted eggs. the mixture will foam up like magic, then add some freshly-ground pepper and some chopped curry leaves. when i can’t get them i just add chopped scallions. pour over the fried crab and serve. i usually make plenty of sauce because it’s so good with rice!
OMG! (oh my gout!)
millet, that recipe is similar to the cereal prawns that my sister sent me. are the salted eggs the ones we can buy at the store (pre-boiled)? and do you add lactum (cereal) after? i can’t wait to try your recipe since i had the cereal prawns in singapore. thanks!
I’ve got to try this Millet. I love recreating magic. There is a Chinese Youtube clip showing how to make this particular gossamer like dimsum that calls for the yolks of hardboiled eggs. The pieces of dough bloom like lace cocoons as soon as they hit the hot oil.
best eaten at home…lots of rice
psychomom, no cereal, i think that’s a different dish. i’ve tried cereal prawns but not crabs. and yes, they’re the regular salted eggs that are sold pre-boiled.
footloose, i have to find that youtube clip – you said all the magic words – hardboiled egg, gossamer, dimsum and hot oil! by the way, i’ve used the same salted egg recipe with prawns, and they came out pretty good too!
Mr Marketman can you post your latest blood chemistry results…? hehe.. those are real good looking and cholesterol laden crabs you cooked..
I would’ve found a way to eat those crabs and the egg noodles. Attack the chili crabs first and have egg noodles for contrast, can probably do without rice. What brand of egg noodles do you use and where do you buy them? Haven’t tried sprinkling sesame seeds on our egg noodles. Will try that next time. Thanks, MM!
@Millet, it’s right up your particular alley too. The filling is durian. The clip is all in Mandarin though, but easy to follow. We might have to enlist BettyQ’s aid in translating the list of ingredient. Here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUq8bbPcwPM
thanks millet for the clarification!
Millet, that sounds like a “killer” recipe — crabs and salted egg yolks! Gotta try it soon. =)
footloose, too bad there are no english translations. i’ve always wondered how they did those feathery “nests”. it was interesting, though.
Papa Ethan, yes, do try, but be warned…you’ll need lots of rice!
Millet, Mesa and Penang Hill serve prawns in salted egg sauce and it’s delicious! My brother-in-law recreated it and made it better by adding MORE of the sauce. SOOO good with rice!!!
millet, thanks for the recipe, will HAVE to try that one day soon…
katrina, yes, everyone looks for more sauce so i always make double, for serving on the side.
MM, yes, i know you will. try to get real curry leaves if you can, but in a pinch,scallions or chives will do.
MM,I’ve cooked your chili crab recipe a few times and it has become a family fave. Sauce pa lang, ulam na! Millet I’m sure your salted egg sauce belongs to this category too so I will try it as soon as I get hold of fat alimangos or some nice prawns! Thank you! I like cereal prawns too…anyone care to share his/her recipe?
Ms Millet, thank you for the salted egg sauce recipe. sounds delicious. i have a curry leaf plant/tree and it has been so underutilized.
I have always had great success with all of your crab recipes. Will need to try this soon:-)
Hi Millet, I just tried your sauce with prawns. OMG! I can’t stop eating them. I will try it using soft shell crabs just so I don’t have to discard the shells and miss out on anything!
MP, soft shell crabs sound like a great idea! and calories be damned, no?! MM & everyone, I forgot, sorry-as the butter melts, some finely minced garlic (depends on how much you love garlic; i put between 1-2 tbsp.), cook a bit but don’t let it get brown, then add the mashed salted eggyolks.
OMG Millet, it was already great without the garlic! As a garlic lover, I can’t see how I’ll be able to refrain myself from loading up on this sinful treat! Thanks!!!!
Does someone know the recipe of Crab Maritess of Red Crab/Seafood Club?? I would highly appreciate it. Thank you :)
MM,
In Toronto Canada my favorite menu for crabs or lobsters is Cantonese style. Saute in peanut oil,garlic ,onion,ginger, black beans ,black pepper,ground pork,brandy ,premium oyster sauce and finished with beaten eggs ,green onion and parsley . Corn starch to thicken
Crabs or lobsters in pieces are fried.
Hi millet, regarding using curry leaves for the salted egg sauce, does it leave a curry flavor to the sauce? I’m not a huge fan of curry and was thinking of using the scallion substitute you also recommended. Thanks!
@millet, gotta try your egg sauce. Be dammed the diet.
MM, your chili crabs look soooo good. Wished I have some crabs right now.