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Southeast Asian seafood dish From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chilli crab (Chinese: 辣椒螃蟹; pinyin: làjiāo pángxiè; 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][lower-alpha 1] Berlada is a spice mixture in Malaysian cuisine that is eaten with all kinds of vegetables and protein.[citation needed]
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.[4] 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.[6]
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]
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