Recipe for Chili Crab - Singapore Style

Recently I was in Singapore and had this amazing crab dish called chili crab. If you get tired of old bay then this is the ticket. It is not intended to be so spicy your lips burn for 2 days but in Singapore it is usually served with a cold beer, so I guess if your beer is getting warm sitting on the table just maybe you are a wuss or you didn't use enough chili's!

Here is the recipe:

2 whole cooked Dungeness (or any crab for that matter) crabs
1/4 cup tomato ketchup
2 tablespoons hot chili paste
2 tablespoons oyster sauce or Indonesian soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce or regular soy sauce
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
3 tablespoons peanut oil
4 scallions, sliced thin
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 serrano chile, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish

Pull the main shell off the crab and discard it. Remove the gray gills and the soft insides. Cut the body in half and then cut between each leg. Crack the legs and claws with the back of the knife or a hammer and set aside.

In a bowl mix the ketchup, chili paste, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and tamarind paste; thin it with 1/4 cup water and set aside. Pour the oil into a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the scallion, ginger, garlic, 1/2 the chile, and cilantro and cook for 1 minute. Add the crab and stir-fry for another minute. Pour in the sauce and continue cooking, stirring often, until the crab has absorbed the sauce and the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.

Put onto a platter and garnish with the rest of the chile and cilantro. Serve with plenty of napkins!