| Chilli crab | |
| Country: | Malaysia, Singapore |
| National Cuisine: | Malaysia, Singapore |
| Creator: | Cher Yam Tian (Singapore's version) |
| Type: | Seafood |
| Main Ingredient: | Crab, chilli, egg |
| Variations: | Black pepper crab |
Chilli crab (; Malay: ketam lada, ketam cabai, ketam cili) is a Southeast Asian seafood dish that is widely associated with the cuisines of both Malaysia and Singapore.[1] The widely known version of chili crab today could be traced back to the 1950s in Malaysia and Singapore.[1] Mud crabs are commonly used and are stir-fried in a semi-thick, sweet, and savoury tomato-and-chilli-based sauce.
The Portuguese introduced chili pepper to Malacca in the 16th century. Before chili peppers, peppercorn was used by the Malays to add heat and spice to their meals.[2] The earlier version of the dish known as ketam balado, is a drier version cooked in balado, a type of hot and spicy mixture originating from Minang cuisine, of West Sumatra, Indonesia.[1] Berlada is a spice mixture in Malaysian cuisine that is eaten with all kinds of vegetables and protein.
The origins of the most commonly known version of chili crab today could be traced back to the 1950s in Singapore and Malaysia.[1] Cher Yam Tian and her husband Lim Choo Ngee[3] began selling stir-fried crabs mixed with bottled chilli and tomato sauce from a pushcart since 1956. This was an improvised recipe; the original one did not involve bottled chilli sauce.[4] A successful business selling this dish prompted the establishment of a restaurant, Palm Beach Seafood, along Upper East Coast Road. The version most widespread today was created by Hooi Kok Wah in the 1960s, one of four famous Singapore chefs during the era.[5]
Weng Fung Seafood Restaurant in the island of Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia was first to offer a chili crab dish in Malaysia since 1958. Weng Fung was established as a Hainanese coffee store in the 1920s. In the 1950s, the second generation converted the coffee store into a seafood restaurant and added a chili crab dish to their menu, with the dish still being served today in the establishment.[1]
Chilli crab sauce is described as "sensuous" and "sweet, yet savoury", with a "fluffy texture".[6] Mud crabs (Scylla serrata) are the most common type of crabs used for the dish, although other species of crab can also be used.
It is commonly served with a side of either fried or steamed mantou buns, which are used to scoop up the sauce.[7]
CNN Go listed chilli crab as one of the "world's 50 most delicious foods", at Number 35.[8] The Michelin Guide dedicates a page to chilli crab on their website.[5]
The Amazing Race 25, The Amazing Race Asia 4, and The Amazing Race China 4 featured a task that required contestants to crack a specified amount of chilli crabs.[9] Chilli crab was also featured on the Netflix TV series Street Food in season 1.[10]
Ketam berlada has been recognized as Malaysia's Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009.[11]