Gejang is a Korean dish consisting of marinated crabs. The traditional marinade is usually based on soy sauce, and it goes under the name gejang gejang, while its spicier counterpart is known as yangnyeomgejang. The crabs are always alive when they are marinated, and it is recommended to prepare it with female crabs since they are usually filled with roe. The dish is traditionally served with rice on the side.
Bún riêu is a crab-based Vietnamese noodle soup. The dish is made in several versions, but the most popular one is made with a tomato base and goes under the name bún riêu cua. The soups are prepared with different broths, but they are always infused with crab paste and come served with vermicelli noodles, while the toppings typically include crab meat, pork, tofu, tomatoes, blood jelly, and a selection of fresh greens such as perilla or bean sprouts. The combination of sweet and sour flavors make bún riêu one of the favorite noodle dishes in the country.
Like many other dishes in Asia, chilli crab started as a street food item, but it has eventually become so popular that today it is considered to be the national dish of Singapore. It consists of a stir-fried crab covered in a succulent, spicy sauce. The story of chilli crab's origin is a well-known anecdote - it was invented in the 1950s by Cher Yam Tian, who wanted to modify her stir-fried crab recipe by adding bottled chili sauce into the dish. The result was so delicious that her family persuaded her to start selling the dish, so chilli crab began its way to become the signature dish of Singapore. The dish is served in many restaurants in the country, and since the crab is served in a shell, the consumption of chilli crab is a unique experience. The diners must use their hands to crack the shell open in order to get hold of the tender crab meat hiding on the inside. Usually, mallets or nutcrackers are used to ease the whole procedure. Bread is commonly served together with the crab, and it is mainly used to soak up the delicious spicy gravy.
Kepiting saus Padang is a spicy Indonesian crab dish known for its bold, chili-laden sauce and rich, savory flavor, originating from the Padang culinary style of West Sumatra. The name translates to “crab in Padang sauce,” and it features whole crabs cooked in a thick, fiery red sauce made from a blend of chilies, garlic, shallots, tomato, ginger, lemongrass, and sometimes egg to create a textured, slightly creamy finish. The dish is popular in seafood restaurants across Indonesia, especially in coastal cities and regions where fresh crab is readily available. Kepiting saus Padang stands out for the balance it strikes between spiciness, tanginess, and umami, often enhanced with the addition of oyster sauce or sweet soy sauce depending on local preferences. The crabs are usually cleaned and cracked before being simmered in the sauce so the flavors fully penetrate the meat. Some versions include chopped bird’s eye chilies for an extra punch, while others are slightly sweetened to temper the heat, making it adaptable to different regional tastes. Served hot and messy, usually with steamed rice and eaten by hand, the dish delivers an intense and satisfying seafood experience that captures the essence of Indonesian coastal cooking.
Black pepper crab is the unofficial national dish of Singapore, made by stir-frying crab pieces with black pepper, garlic, shallots, and oyster sauce over high heat. The dish is seldom prepared at home, but people can easily find it at numerous street stalls and seafood restaurants. Once the crab is cooked, it is often garnished with coriander leaves and paired with rice on the side.
Poo cha (a.k.a. poo ja) is a Thai dish consisting of stuffed, deep-fried crabs. The dish is best prepared with fresh crabs that are steamed, and the meat is then removed and flaked before it is combined with pork, shrimps, soy sauce, garlic, fish sauce, and various other spices and seasonings. The mixture is then stuffed inside crab shells, which are occasionally steamed before they are deep-fried. The crabs are usually served with a dipping sauce on the side.
Kai jeow pu is a traditional crab omelet originating from Thailand. It's usually made with a combination of crabmeat, eggs, a bit of flour, fish sauce, and oil. About half of the eggs are fried in hot oil, topped with crab meat, and then the combination is topped with another layer of eggs. The eggs and the crab meat can also be mixed together, then simply fried in lots of hot oil. Once the omelet has been shaped and fully cooked, it is served immediately. Kai jeow pu has recently been popularized by Bangkok's famous chef Jay Fai, whose street food stall was awarded a Michelin Star.
Easily identifiable by the patches of scruffy dark hair on its claws, the succulent, moist, and meaty Shanghai hairy crab is a delicacy that is large as an adult person's palm. Its flesh is firm, yet tender and delicate, so it is always steamed whole, without any seasonings, while the meat is much sweeter than regular crabmeat. When consumed, it is typically dipped into a combination of rice vinegar and soy sauce, then topped with sliced ginger. These crabs are traditionally eaten hot, and two to four crabs per person usually makes a satisfying meal. Hairy crabs are in season from September until mid-November, a time of the year when the city's neighbourhoods are interspersed with markets and high-end restaurants offering this delicacy. The Chinese people believe that hairy crab has a cooling (yin) effect on the body, so it should be paired with suitable warming foods and beverages such as the potent yellow rice wine.
This famous Sri Lankan curry is made with a combination of crab meat, lime juice, milk or coconut milk, curry leaves, grated coconut, ginger, shallots, garlic, cinnamon, turmeric, fenugreek seeds, and red chili peppers. The curry is cooked until the crabs are fully cooked and the gravy develops a thick consistency. It is recommended to serve this dish hot with rice and Indian flatbreads on the side.
Tenshindon is a simple Japanese dish which combines crab meat omelet and rice. It belongs to the broad category of donburi dishes, which includes many Japanese ingredients and meals that are served over rice. The central part of every tenshindon is the omelet which employs crab meat, the authentic Japanese negi onions, and (occasionally) mushrooms, peas, and sliced ginger. The dish is assembled and usually served in a bowl, in which the rice is placed first, and the omelet is positioned on top. The final addition is a thick sauce that is generously poured over the dish. It is made with different combinations of soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, rice wine, sesame oil, oyster sauce, chicken broth, starch, and occasionally ketchup. Depending on the location, the sauce can have a more sour, vinegary taste, preferred in the Kanto region, or the sweeter variety, typically found in the Kansai area. Even though this traditional Japanese specialty was named after the Chinese city of Tianjin, there is no similar and corresponding dish found in the Chinese gastronomy. It is believed that the name was given because the city was a major rice trade location, and the dish was primarily made with rice which originated from Tianjin. Today it can be found in many Japanese restaurants, and is commonly prepared as a quick and nutritious homemade meal. It makes an excellent quick lunch, or a hearty and satisfying dinner.
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For the “Top 19 Asian Crab Dishes” list until May 16, 2026, 344 ratings were recorded, of which 245 were recognized by the system as legitimate.
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