Singapore Black Pepper Crab Burger Recipe

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There’s something about being “in the zone” in the kitchen that makes you keep going. After making my own Chili Crab Burger to redeem myself from McDonald’s rather disappointing version, I thought, “Why stop there?”

Black Pepper Crab is another iconic Singaporean seafood dish I grew up loving. And with leftover crab meat sitting in the fridge, it just made sense to go for a round two.

Black Pepper Crab has its roots in Singaporean cuisine, known for its bold use of coarsely cracked peppercorns, butter, curry leaves, and a good amount of wok hei. It’s less sweet and more intense than its chili cousin, with a savory heat that creeps up and lingers.

So I figured, what if I turned that same flavor profile into a burger? Something handheld, messy, and full of punch. Kind of like the late-night kopitiam version, but modern and a little extra.

The result is this juicy crab patty slathered in black pepper mayo, topped with a zesty slaw, and sandwiched between crispy fried mantou buns.

Every bite has crunch, heat, tang, and richness like Black Pepper Crab reimagined into a burger format. If you’re craving something spicy, comforting, and a bit indulgent, this is your next weekend project. Don’t be shy with the napkins.

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Ingredients:

(Make 2 burgers)

• Black Pepper Mayo:

• Black Peppercorns, 1.5 TBSP

• ​White Peppercorns, 1/2 TBSP

• Unsalted Butter, 2 TBSP

• Red Onion Finely Sliced, 1

• Curry Leaves, A Handful

• Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves

• Fresh Red Chilies Deseeded Finely Sliced, 2

• Hoisin Sauce, 1/2 TBSP

• Oyster Sauce, 1.5 TBSP

• Soy Sauce, 1.5 TBSP

• Gula Melaka Syrup Homemade, 1 TBSP

• Chicken Stock Homemade, 750ml

• Slurry, 1 TBSP Cornstarch + 1 TBSP Water

• Kewpie Mayo, For Mixing

• Crab Patties:  

• Crab Meat, 1 LBI'm using canned crab meat

• Red Onion Finely Minced, 1

• Garlic Grated, 3 Cloves

• Ginger Grated, 2"

• Cumin Powder, 1 TSP

• Coriander Powder, 1 TSP

• Garam Masala Homemade, 1/2 TSP

• Turmeric, 1/2 TSP

• Smoked Paprika, 1 TSP

• Eggs, 2

• Coriander Coarsely Chopped, A Small Handful

• Sea Salt, Pinch

• White Pepper Pinch

• Mushroom Powder, Pinch

• Unsalted Butter, 2 TBSP + More For Basting

• Burger:  

• Scallions Coarsely Chopped, A Handful

• Carrot Grated, 1/4

• Cabbage Shredded, 1/4

• Fresh Lime Juice, 1 Lime

• Fresh Lime Zest, 1 Lime

• Sesame Oil, 1 TBSP

• Sea Salt, Pinch

• White Pepper, Pinch

• Fried Mantou Homemade, 2

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Equipment:

• Cast Iron Skillet / Pan

• Pestle and Mortar

• Sauce Pot

• Blender / Hand Blender

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Directions:

1. Please visit my "How To Make Shahi Garam Masala" page for the recipe.

2. Please visit my “How To Make Mantou / Bao / Turnover Bao" page for the recipe.

3. Please visit my "How To Make Gula Melaka Syrup" page for the recipe.

4. Please visit my "How To Make Chicken Stock" page for the recipe.

5. Make the Black Pepper Mayo

6. Toast peppercorns in a skillet until fragrant, then grind coarsely using a mortar and pestle.

7. In a saucepan, melt butter and sauté sliced onions with a pinch of salt until lightly browned.

8. Add curry leaves, garlic, and chilies. Cook until aromatic.

9. Stir in hoisin, oyster, and soy sauces.

10. Deglaze with a splash of chicken stock, then pour in the rest with the ground pepper.

11. Simmer and blend the sauce until smooth. Return to the pot and reduce until thick.

12. Adjust taste with gula melaka syrup and salt. Stir in a cornstarch slurry to thicken further.

13. Let the sauce cool slightly before mixing 2 parts of the sauce with 1 part Kewpie mayo. Chill until ready.

14. Make the Crab Patties

15. In a mixing bowl, combine crab meat, onion, garlic, ginger, all the spices, eggs, and chopped coriander.

16. Mix gently until combined and shape into two patties.

17. Heat butter in a skillet and pan-fry the patties until golden on both sides.

18. Add more butter, tilt and baste the patties.

19. Set aside.

20. Make the Slaw

21. In a bowl, mix scallions, cabbage, carrot, lime zest, juice, sesame oil, salt, and pepper.

22. Toss well and chill in the fridge.

23. Assemble the Burger

24. Slice fried mantou buns in half.

25. Spread black pepper mayo on both the top and bottom buns.

26. Layer on the crab patty and top with the slaw.

27. Cover with the top bun and serve right away.

Mama Mia...

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Recipe Video: