Quick, easy, and utterly addictive! This Singapore Chilli Prawns recipe gives you prawns in a glossy, sweet-spicy-tangy egg sauce that’s perfect for weeknight dinners. Chilli crab who?
Chilli Crab is one of Singapore’s most iconic dishes: rich, messy, saucy, and absolutely worth the effort.
But at home? And on a weeknight? I almost always make Chilli Prawns instead.
Prawns are easier to prepare, less intimidating, far less messy to eat — and if I’m being honest, I’m still a little squeamish about dispatching live crabs!
This version gives you all the bold, restaurant-style flavours of chilli crab, but in a weeknight-friendly format.
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What Is Singapore Chilli Prawns?
Singapore Chilli Prawns is quite simply the prawn version of the famous chilli crab.
The prawns are simmered in a thick sauce made from dried chilli paste and tomato ketchup, then finished with silky egg ribbons. The result is a glossy, sweet-spicy-tangy gravy that begs to be spooned over rice… or mopped up with fried mantou buns!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Key Ingredients
Dried Chilli Paste
This is the backbone of the dish.
Dried chilli paste is made from blended dried chillies and gives the sauce its deep, slightly smoky heat and rich red colour. It cannot be substituted with sriracha or sambal oelek if you want the authentic chilli crab flavour — they simply taste different.
You can buy it ready-made (note that store-bought versions are usually salted), but I highly recommend making your own. It’s simple, keeps well, and gives you full control over the heat level.
If making from scratch, you can blend onions and garlic directly into the paste for a smoother sauce.
Tomato Ketchup
Yes — regular tomato ketchup.
It provides sweetness, tang, and body to the sauce. Tomato puree or concentrate won’t give you the same flavour profile and will make the dish taste more like a pasta sauce.
This is one of those dishes where ketchup truly belongs.
Egg
The egg is what gives chilli prawns that signature silky, slightly custardy finish. When drizzled in properly, it creates delicate ribbons throughout the sauce.
One egg keeps it light.
Two eggs make it richer and more luxurious.
Level Up Your Chilli Prawns Sauce
This recipe keeps the sauce clean, balanced, and most importantly weeknight-friendly. Dried chilli paste, onion, garlic, ketchup – enough to give you that classic sweet-spicy-tangy profile.
But if you want to deepen the flavour even more, you can layer in additional aromatics and umami elements.
Here are a few ingredients that work beautifully:
- Belacan (shrimp paste) – adds savoury depth. Use a small amount, toasted first for best flavour.
- Dried shrimp paste – similar umami boost, slightly sweeter.
- Ginger – adds warmth and brightness.
- Galangal (blue ginger) – more citrusy and sharp than regular ginger.
- Lemongrass – lightly bruised, for fragrance.
- Oyster sauce – a small splash enhances savouriness without overpowering the sauce.
These are optional additions, not requirements. The base recipe stands perfectly well on its own.
You may also see some recipes include taucheo (fermented soybeans). Personally, I don’t use it. I don’t find it prominent in the chilli crab flavour profile I’m familiar with in Singapore. That said, if you enjoy that extra layer of fermented umami, you can experiment with a small amount.
At the end of the day, flavour is personal.
How to Serve
This is incredible with steamed white rice.
But if you want the full hawker-style experience, serve it with fried mantou buns.
I use ready-made frozen mantou and deep fry them until golden brown. The outside becomes crisp, while the inside stays fluffy and soft — perfect for soaking up that glossy chilli sauce.
It’s dangerously good.
Storage & Reheating
Best eaten fresh.
If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheat gently over low heat until warmed through. Avoid boiling vigorously, as the prawns can overcook and toughen.
You may need to add 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 ml) of water to loosen the sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use sambal oelek or sriracha instead of dried chilli paste?
For this dish, I don’t recommend it.
Dried chilli paste has a deep, roasted flavour that gives chilli prawns its signature taste and colour. Sambal oelek and sriracha have a different flavour profile and will change the character of the sauce.
If you want that classic Singapore-style chilli crab flavour, dried chilli paste is the key ingredient.
Can I replace tomato ketchup with tomato puree or tomato paste?
No — and this is important.
Tomato ketchup provides sweetness, tang, and body all at once. Tomato puree or concentrate will make the sauce taste more like marinara or pasta sauce, which isn’t what we’re going for here.
Ketchup truly belongs in this recipe.
Can I use crab instead of prawns?
This recipe is written specifically for prawns.
If you’re looking for a proper Singapore Chilli Crab recipe, I have a separate post dedicated to that version, with the correct sauce ratios and cooking method for crab.
How spicy is this?
That depends entirely on your dried chilli paste.
If you prefer it milder, reduce the amount slightly or use a milder variety of dried chillies. You can always adjust heat, but you can’t take it out once it’s in.
Can I make this ahead of time?
It’s best eaten fresh.
Prawns can become rubbery if reheated too aggressively, and the egg texture is nicest when freshly cooked. If needed, reheat gently over low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Singapore Chilli Prawns
2
servings10
minutes15
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
- Seafood
350 g (about 10–12) medium prawns, peeled and deveined, patted dry
- Aromatics
1 small onion (about 75 g), finely chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp dried chilli paste (adjust to taste)
- Sauce
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato ketchup
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp palm sugar or white sugar
120 ml (½ cup) water
1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water, combined to create slurry
1 egg (or 2 for a richer, more custardy sauce), lightly beaten
2 stalks spring onions, chopped
Directions
- Cook the chilli base: Heat oil in a pan over low–medium heat. Add chilli paste, onion, and garlic. Cook gently for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and the oil begins to separate from the paste. This step builds the depth of flavour.
See: How to properly cook dried chilli paste, or ‘pecah minyak’. - Build the sauce: Add ketchup, salt, sugar, and water. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Cook the prawns: Add the prawns and simmer for 3–5 minutes, turning once, until pink and just cooked through. Avoid overcooking.
- Thicken: Stir the cornstarch slurry again, then slowly pour it into the sauce while stirring. Let it simmer until slightly thickened and glossy.
- Add the egg ribbons: Lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Stir the sauce in one direction and slowly drizzle in the beaten egg. Allow it to set into soft ribbons for about 30–60 seconds.
- Finish: Turn off the heat. Garnish with spring onions and serve immediately with steamed rice.
Notes
- Sauce should be thick but still spoonable. If too thick, add 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) water.
If too thin, simmer another minute before adding more slurry.
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Fantastic recipe thank you
Such a simple but amazing recipe. I thoroughly enjoyed making this and was super happy with the results. Took me back to Singapore.
Tried this recipe, it was so easy and flavourful. I love it, thank you!
When do you add Belanchan,ginger,galangal,lemongrass and oyster sauce and in what quantities to your singapore chilli prawn dish
Hi Peter, blend the belachan, ginger, galangal to a paste – you can blend this with the dried chilli paste, garlic and onions.
Lemongrass, bruised, sauteed with the dried chilli paste and aromatics. It can also be blended in, but I prefer a whole, bruised stalk to prevent a fibrous sauce.
Oyster sauce is added with the tomato ketchup.
This is a rather small serving, so the quantities required would be dismal, so I would recommend doubling up the recipe for at least 4 pax instead. The quantities required for a 4 pax serving would:
1/2 tsp belacan
1-inch ginger
1 inch galangal
1 stalk lemongrass
1 tbsp oyster sauce
Belacan and oyster sauce has sodium, so adjust salt amount accordingly! I recommend taste testing the final sauce, before adding salt 🙂