If you've been to Singapore, then you’ve probably tasted black pepper crab -- it seems this dish, along with chili crab, are mainstays of that city-state's cuisine.
If a trip to Asia isn't in the cards, however, you're in luck: we were able to get an exclusive recipe from Steven Ng, Chinese Executive Chef of Shang Palace at the Shangri-La Hotel Singapore.
At the hotel they serve up 30 to 50 kilos of crab daily (which means this kitchen knows their way around cooking up the shellfish). "High heat is very important as is a well-seasoned wok," says Ng.
So just consider that a flavourful warning when trying out their recipe for this famous dish at home.
Ingredients
1 kg (2.2 lbs) crab, cleaned and chopped into pieces
30 g (1 oz) black pepper, coarsely crushed
60 ml (1/4 cup) vegetable oil
100 g (2/3 cup) butter
100 g (2/3 cup) garlic, chopped
100 g (2/3 cup) shallots, chopped
60 ml (1/4 cup) oyster sauce
10 ml (2 tsp) light soya sauce
10 ml (2 tsp) dark soya sauce
20 ml (4 tsp) Chinese yellow wine
10 g (2 1/2 tsp) sugar or to taste
300 ml (1 1/4 cups) water
10 g (1 tbsp) cornstarch, or as necessary
sliced spring onions, sliced red chilli and chopped cilantro for garnish
Method
Saute black pepper over moderate heat, remove and set aside.
Add oil in heated wok; add garlic and shallots and stir fry till fragrant. Add crab, stir fry over high heat; add black pepper, de-glaze with Chinese yellow wine.
Add water, followed by oyster sauce, both soya sauces and sugar.
Lower heat, cover with lid and let braise over moderate heat until crab is cooked through.
Adjust seasonings, thicken with cornstarch, transfer to plate. Topped with garnish, serve immediately.