Sweet Chili Crabs

How to make Sweet Chili Crabs

My version on how to cook Sweet Chili Crabs. Cooked in thick sweet and spicy sauce made of sweet chili sauce, tomato ketchup and lemon soda. Steamed crabs tossed in savory sweet chili sauce. Be prepared to get messy! Sweet Chili Crabs is surprisingly easy and quick to make. The best part of this Sweet Chili Crabs recipe is the sauce! The sauce is excellent specially when served over steamed rice.

Give this Sweet Chili Crabs recipe a try. You can use the same sauce ingredients with shrimps instead of crabs. Check related recipes below. Click on name links below the pictures to see complete recipes. Follow Casa Baluarte Recipes on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest for more delicious home-cooking recipes and easy to follow cooking videos.

INGREDIENTS

4 lbs fresh crabs
water for steaming
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 head garlic, chopped
3 knob ginger, grated
3 siling labuyo (wild pepper)
1 cup sweet chili sauce
1 cup tomato or banana ketchup
2 cup lemon soda (7-up or sprite)
1 tbsp brown sugar or to taste
salt to taste
1 tbsp cornstarch (diluted in 1/4 cup water)
6 finger chilies (sliced)

INSTRUCTIONS

Place crabs in a steamer over a pot of boiling water. Steam for 7-10 minutes or until changes color or red all around the shell. Be careful not to over-steam the crabs. Allow to cool and cut crabs in halves. Set aside.
Using a wide wok or a pan, heat and add cooking oil. Add garlic and cook for a minute. Add ginger and cook until fragrant. Add siling labuyo and allow to cook for 30 seconds.
Add sweet chili sauce, ketchup and lemon soda. Mix well and simmer until sauce turns slightly thick while stirring occasionally.
Add sugar and salt to taste. Add cornstarch mixture and gently stir. Continue to simmer while stirring for few minutes or until sauce thickens.
Add crabs to the sauce. Gently toss making sure that the crabs get covered with the sauce. Cook for few minutes.
Garnish with finger chilies and toss well to combine. Cook for a minute. Remove pan from heat and serve with steamed rice. Enjoy!