Photo courtesy of Promex Crossed Flag Pins
Chilli crab is extremely popular in two nations, namely Singapore and Malaysia. When state media announced its status as one of Singapore’s national dishes some years ago, neighbouring country Malaysia swooped in to call dibs on the sweet-savoury dish instead, causing a huge uproar of gastronomic proportions.
Laying claim to the dish is 81-year-old Madam Cher Yam Tian, who said she invented the recipe for the dish in the 1950s using bottled chilli and tomato sauce. Madam Cher’s creation was the delectable feature of her family restaurant along Upper East Coast Road, called Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant.
Of course, when Madam Cher found out about the claims made by Malaysia, she was absolutely furious. “Everyone in Singapore knows that I was the one who created the dish, and I’ve been using this recipe for the past 50 to 60 years. I am angry but I am going to ignore what the Malaysian tourism minister said,” she retorted back in 2009.
Until today however, the opinions of the nationality of chilli crab remain divided between Singaporeans and Malaysians.
#2 Kitchen origins
Palm Beach vs. Ponggol Seafood (and everyone else)
Photos courtesy of Camemberu (left) and Red House Seafood (right)
Crab can be prepared in more ways than one. There’s butter crab, salted egg crab, curry crab… the list goes on! However, two flavours seem to always divide any big group ordering at a seafood restaurant, and they’re chilli crab and black pepper crab.
This debate’s a matter of taste more than anything else. Black pepper crab is cooked in thick black pepper gravy while chilli crab is swimming in sweet-savoury sauce. Spice lovers will favour the black pepper crab since it’s spicier compared to chilli crab, but those who enjoy indulging in mopping up the gravy of the chilli crab with fresh buns won’t say no to chilli crab.
Taste aside, it’s common to hear fans of black pepper crab tout that the dish isn’t much of a hassle to consume and isn’t as messy as its rival. So which do you prefer?
#4 Where do you get the best of the best?
War of the (chilli crab) worlds!
