Chilli Crab heats up London

Londoners came out in droves to queue up for a taste of Singapore chilli crab during the inaugural Tiger Beer Singapore Chilli Crab Festival.

The interest was so great the Chilli Crab, meant to last from noon to 6pm, ran out in two hours on the first day of the two-day fair held on 5 and 6 August.

Celebrity chef Violet Oon, who was at hand to give tips on how to cook the perfect chilli crab as well as cooking demonstrations, stepped up to the plate and whipped up a prawn concoction to please hungry visitors.

The London event featured an Asian street market with traditional hawker-style food stands and stalls, and live entertainment in the form of lion dances. Henna tattoos, massages and Chinese calligraphy were enjoyed by attendees.

The festival, which ran simultaneously in New York, celebrated 50 years of the Singapore Chilli Crab dish.

Chilli Crab was created in 1956 by Singaporean chef, Madam Cher Yam Tian who ran a hawker stall with her husband, Mr Lim Choon Ngee, on the seafront.