Sweet Chili Crab Recipe -Indo-Chinese style

Sweet Chili Crab Recipe - Indo-Chinese Style. This is a fusion recipe that combines Chinese stir-frying techniques with Indian ingredients to create bold flavors. Unlike the typical South Asian Singapore Chili Crab, this popular Indo-Chinese version is similar to what you'd find in Kolkata's Chinese restaurants.

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Course: Main

Cuisine: Indo-Chinese

Keyword: Debjanir Rannaghar, Sweet Chili Crab Recipe, Sweet Chili Crab Recipe -Indo-Chinese style, Sweet Chili Crab Recipe -Indo-Chinese style debjanir rannaghar

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

Servings: people

Calories: 317kcal

Author: Debjani Chatterjee Alam

Cost: Rs 1000

Ingredients

1 kg Mud Crab around 4-5, big preferably
3 Onions big
1 inch Ginger
10 cloves Garlic
1 cup Tomato puree
2 tablespoon tomato ketchup
½ cup sweet chili sauce
2 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon Chili oil with the flakes optional
1 tablespoon prawn paste optional
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder optional
1 teaspoon red chili powder
3 tablespoon vegetable oil unflavored

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Instructions

Although I usually prepare crab by boiling it, I used a different method for this recipe.
First, thoroughly wash the crabs. Then, break them apart, separating the claws and body. Discard any unwanted parts, and set aside the crab mustard, which includes the roe and other liquids.
Next, place the crab pieces into a bowl of boiling water, then immediately remove them and discard the water.
While doing this, prepare the other ingredients. Cut each large onion into eight pieces; if using medium onions, cut them into four pieces.
Roughly chop the garlic and ginger.
Now, heat three tablespoons of oil in a deep pan with a lid.
Once the oil is hot, add the chopped garlic and fry it.
Then, add the onion pieces and chopped ginger together and mix well.
Fry for two minutes.
Add the tomato puree and cook on high heat for two minutes, or until the raw tomato smell disappears.
Finally, add chili powder and turmeric powder, and mix. Turmeric powder is optional, but many believe it helps prevent allergic reactions when cooking seafood, so I prefer to use it.
First, mix in the chili oil and shrimp paste until well combined. While optional, these ingredients add incredible flavor and depth to the dish.
Next, stir in the tomato ketchup, sweet chili sauce, and vinegar thoroughly.
Then, add one teaspoon of sugar and one teaspoon of salt and mix again.
Taste the sauce at this point and adjust the seasonings as needed, aiming for a balance of hot and sweet flavors.
Now, add the crab, including the claws, body, and crab mustard, and cook for 10 minutes with the lid on the pan. If you're using very large crabs, add the claws first, cook for three minutes, then add the rest of the crab pieces and crab mustard, and cook for an additional seven minutes.
Finally, I like to add another tablespoon of prawn paste, which is optional. I have added another tablespoon of sweet chili sauce as well.
Your sweet chili crab- Indo-Chinese style is now ready to enjoy!

Notes

Crab type - For this recipe, I used large mud crabs. However, depending on your location, you could also choose other types like spider crab, rock crab, or stone crab. I don't recommend smaller crabs such as Oceanic Paddler Crab or Herring Bow Crab because this recipe requires a good amount of crab meat.
Crab Mustard - The crab mustard, which includes the liquid and roe from the crab, is a golden treasure! You can choose whether or not to include it. Ideally, if you're using fresh crab, you should definitely use it, as nothing else can match the flavor it adds.
Shrimp Paste - I included belachan, a dry shrimp paste, in this recipe. While some might consider it optional, I believe it's essential for my version.
Chili oil and chili flakes - Regarding chili oil and chili flakes: while you could substitute regular chili flakes, using chili oil and the flakes from it will bring extra flavor to the dish.

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