TRAVEL/FOOD/INSPIRATION

A Taste of Singapore Chili Crab

The most iconic crab dish in the world

“My dad brought home crabs that he caught from the sea and my mum always steamed them…However, he got bored so she stir-fried the crabs with chillies and tomatoes.” — Roland Lim, owner of the eponymous restaurant and speaking about the dish that was created by his mother, Cher Yam Tian, per Michelin guide.

During our recent holiday in Singapore in November 2023, my local cousin’s husband insisted that we sample Singapore’s signature chili crab.

My cousin and her family have resided in Singapore for over 20 years. We had complete trust in their recommendation, not to mention the fact that chili crab ranked 35th on CNN Go’s list of the world’s 50 most delicious dishes in 2021.

On our first night in this fantastic city-state, we headed to the famous Long Beach Seafood Restaurant, 20 minutes from my cousin’s house. The best part about Singapore is that it is so compact that you are only a short distance from anywhere.

But, I digress.

This famous restaurant has won multiple culinary awards for serving the best seafood.

This iconic seafood dish is made by simmering stir-fried crab (originally mud crab) in a sweet, savory, and spicy tomato-based sauce.

Per Recipe Tin Eats:

“Live mud crab is the first and most traditional choice for the ultimate Singapore Chilli Crab eating experience. Known for their fearsomely large claws full of sweet, juicy meat, live mud crabs are sold in Australia and Asia at fish markets and large seafood shops.”

The crabs were served with baked Chinese mantou buns, perfect for mopping the thick sauce.

Even though eating it was messy, my husband and son enjoyed the crab immensely. The server even handed us bibs and disposable gloves.

History of Chili Crab

Cher Yam Tian first created Chili Crab in Singapore in the 1950s. Her delicious dishes became popular after perfecting recipes for her family and friends. With this in mind, her family opened their first restaurant, Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant.

Since then, chili crab has become a popular menu staple across Singapore, from hawker stalls to high-end restaurants.

Please enjoy these photos I clicked at Long Beach Seafood Restaurant in Singapore in November 2023.

We had a good time trying out coconut water and other delicious Singaporean dishes for dinner. Unfortunately, I cannot recall the names of the bottom two dishes.

Can anyone kindly help me out with the names of these two items? Any native Singaporeans out there?