Fish, South and Southeast Asian
Singapore chili crab style shrimp with fried mantou
Singapore style chili shrimp is a dish of shrimp in a sweet, spicy tomato sauce, finished with silky ribbons of beaten egg and served with fried mantou for dipping. It serves 4, takes 35 minutes, is medium difficulty, and costs about €4.60 per person. The key to getting it right is drying the shrimp well before cooking and pouring the egg in a thin stream off the heat.
Tonight we're feasting Singapore style, with chili shrimp in a silky red sauce you mop up with little fried buns.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Cost per person
- €4.60
- Calories per person
- 540 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
- Season
- Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
The sauce is really the star here, glossy and red, built from ketchup and tomato sauce rather than paste, with just enough fresh chili and ginger to bring heat without drowning out the shrimp. Ribbons of beaten egg give it a silky texture that sets it apart from more familiar shrimp dishes, and the fried mantou, golden and soft, work as much for scooping up sauce as for filling you up.
This is a dish for when you have a bit more time than a rushed weeknight allows, perfect for a dinner where everyone gathers around the wok and shares the mantou. The fresh chili makes it better suited to adults or teens who like heat, though you can scale back the chili sauce and fresh chili to tone it down.
The ingredients
Fish counter
- Shelled shrimp 600 g
Frozen foods
- Frozen mantou buns 8
Fruits and vegetables
- Onion 1
- Garlic 4 cloves
- Fresh ginger 20 g
- Fresh chili pepper 1
- Green onion 2
Pantry
- Ketchup 5 tbsp
- Tomato sauceoften in the pantry 150 g
- Sweet chili sauce 3 tbsp
- Cornstarchoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
- Neutral oiloften in the pantry 6 tbsp
- Sugaroften in the pantry 1 tsp
- Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
- Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
Dairy
- Eggs 2
Allergens Shellfish, Eggs, Gluten, Soy
The step by step recipe
-
Pat the shrimp very dry, season with salt, and toss them with the cornstarch.
Well dried shrimp sear instead of steaming, which helps the sauce cling to them better.
-
Pan fry the mantou in 3 tablespoons of oil until golden on both sides, then set them aside in a warm spot. 8 min
Frozen or thawed mantou both work depending on the package, but don't drown them in oil, a thin layer is enough.
-
In a wok, cook the chopped onion, garlic, ginger, and chili pepper in the remaining oil for two minutes. 2 min
Keep the heat high but stir constantly, burnt garlic would turn the whole sauce bitter.
-
Add the ketchup, tomato sauce, chili sauce, sugar, and half a glass of water, bring to a boil for one minute, then add the shrimp and cook for three minutes. 4 min
Ketchup gives this dish its signature sweet roundness, don't swap it for tomato paste.
-
Lower the heat, pour in the beaten eggs in a thin stream while stirring, scatter with green onion, and serve right away with the mantou for dipping.
Turn off the heat as soon as the egg ribbons appear, residual heat is enough to finish cooking them.
Our tips to get it right
- Chop and measure everything before turning on the heat under the wok, the cooking moves fast once the shrimp hit the sauce.
- If you don't have a wok, a large heavy skillet works just as well, the key is letting the sauce reduce a bit before the shrimp go in.
- Plan for extra mantou, they disappear fast once dipped in sauce, so a few spares never hurt.
The variations
- Swap the shrimp for chunks of chicken or firm white fish and keep the same sauce.
- For a vegetarian version, replace the shrimp with firm tofu, pan fried separately and added at the end.
- For a quicker version, use already cooked mantou instead of frying them, and serve the sauce over steamed rice.
What to serve it with
- Steamed white rice
- Hot green tea
- Fresh cucumber on the side
Storage
The shrimp in sauce keeps 1 day in the fridge in a sealed container, the egg loses its nice texture after that. Reheat gently in a pan without letting it boil hard, so the shrimp don't toughen. Fried mantou don't keep well, it's best to fry a fresh batch.
Questions about this dish
Can I use tomato paste instead of ketchup?
No, ketchup gives this sauce its signature sweet tang, tomato paste would taste flatter. If you swap it anyway, you may need to add more sugar.
Can I make the sauce ahead of time?
You can prep the aromatic base and tomato sauce a few hours ahead and reheat it before adding the shrimp. Add the shrimp and egg only right before serving to keep the right texture.
How do I keep the egg from turning into scrambled egg in the sauce?
Pour the beaten egg in a thin stream while gently stirring the sauce at the same time. Lower the heat before adding it, the residual warmth is enough to set it into silky ribbons.
Can I buy mantou already fried?
Mantou are usually sold frozen and raw, meant to be pan fried yourself. If you find ones already steamed, just a quick pan fry is enough to brown them.
How long does it take to make Singapore style chili shrimp with fried mantou?
Count 35 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.
How many calories are in Singapore style chili shrimp with fried mantou?
About 540 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.
How much does Singapore style chili shrimp with fried mantou cost?
About €4.60 per serving, or €18.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.
What allergens does this recipe contain?
This recipe contains shellfish, eggs, gluten, soy. Always check the labels of the products you buy.
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