🦀 Chili Crab

Seafood · Main ingredient: Crab · ⏱ 13 min · Serves 5 · ~₱535 · Best for: Dinner, Lunch

Ingredients

• 1 kg Alimasag or alimango (mud crab), cleaned and halved or quartered
• 4 tbsp Cooking oil
• 6 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 thumb Ginger, minced
• 1 pc Medium onion, chopped
• 3.5 tbsp Chili garlic sauce (or 4-5 pieces siling labuyo, chopped)
• 3 tbsp Tomato ketchup or tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp Oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tbsp Cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tbsp water
• 1 pc Egg, beaten (optional, for silky sauce)
• 3 pinch Salt, to taste
• 0.5 tsp Pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Clean the crabs, removing the top shell, gills, and innards, then cut into halves or quarters, cracking the claws slightly for easier sauce absorption.
2. Heat oil in a wok and sauté garlic, ginger, and onion until fragrant.
3. Add the chili garlic sauce or chopped siling labuyo and sauté briefly to release the heat and aroma.
4. Add the crab pieces and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes to coat with the aromatics.
5. Stir in ketchup, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and water, then bring to a boil.
6. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the crabs are cooked through and turn orange-red.
7. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until the sauce thickens; drizzle in the beaten egg while stirring gently, if using, to create ribbons in the sauce.
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste, garnish with spring onions, and serve hot with steamed rice.

🩺 Health-condition tags and calorie counts are general reference estimates only, not medical advice — consult a doctor or dietitian for guidance specific to you.