Black pepper crab
Black pepper crab (黑胡椒螃蟹): wok-fried crab with butter and cracked pepper
If chilli crab is Singapore's sweet crowd-pleaser, black pepper crab is the one locals often order beside it: dry rather than saucy, sharp with freshly cracked black pepper, rich with butter and with a salty edge from oyster and soy sauce. It was created in the 1950s–60s at the seafood restaurants of Upper Serangoon and East Coast, and is eaten at long family dinners with rice or plain bread to mop the buttery wok juices. Note that this dish contains butter, so it is not dairy free. Buy crabs live or freshly cooked the same day from a fishmonger you trust. Discard any live crab that doesn't move, smells of ammonia or has a cracked, leaking shell. The common mistake is using pre-ground pepper powder, which tastes dusty and burns; crack whole peppercorns coarsely. Chef's tip: toast the cracked pepper in the dry wok for a minute before the butter goes in to wake up its aroma.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the crab
For the pepper sauce
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Keep live 2 mud crabs, live or very fresh in the fridge, covered with a damp cloth, and cook them the same day. After cleaning, the crab should smell fresh and briny; throw out any piece that smells off.
Step 2: Pat the crab pieces dry and dust the cut sides lightly with 2 tbsp cornflour. Crack each claw with the back of a heavy knife.
5 minStep 3: Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over a high heat and fry the crab in two batches, 3–4 minutes each, until the shells turn bright red. Lift out onto a plate.
8 minStep 4: Wipe out the wok. Toast 3 tbsp black peppercorns in the dry wok over a medium heat for 1 minute, until fragrant.
1 minStep 5: Add 2 ⅛ oz butter, and when it foams add 4 shallots, 8 cloves garlic, 2 sprigs curry leaves and 2 bird's eye chillies. Fry for 2–3 minutes until golden; don't let the garlic burn.
3 minStep 6: Stir in 3 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tsp sugar and ¾ cup water and bring to the boil.
1 minStep 7: Return the crab, cover and cook over a medium-high heat for 6–8 minutes, tossing every 2 minutes, until the sauce reduces to a glossy coating and the meat in the thickest claw is opaque white and firm.
8 minStep 8: Pile onto a platter with all the peppery butter from the wok. Serve at once with crab crackers, picks, plain rice and finger bowls. Eat cooked crab the same day.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does black pepper crab take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of cornflour?
- Arrowroot or potato starch, same amount.
- What can I use instead of black peppercorns?
- Ground black pepper, a little less than the amount.
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