A Singapore-Inspired Seafood Recipe with Noosa Black Garlic
Rich, buttery and irresistibly savoury, Black Garlic & Salted Egg Moreton Bay Bugs are a luxurious seafood dish inspired by the famous Singapore Salted Egg Crab.
During a recent visit to Singapore we fell in love with the bold, addictive flavours of salted egg seafood — creamy, savoury and slightly sweet. While the traditional version uses whole crab (and gets gloriously messy), this recipe swaps in Australian Moreton Bay bug tails for an easier, equally indulgent dish.
Crispy bug tails are tossed through a silky salted egg butter sauce infused with Noosa Black Garlic, fragrant curry leaves and gentle chilli heat. The result is a deeply savoury, umami-packed seafood dish that feels both restaurant-worthy and perfect for entertaining at home.
You can also make this recipe using prawns, scallops, calamari or cuttlefish.
Recipe Details
Serves: 3–4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
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6–8 Moreton Bay bug tails, cleaned and split lengthwise
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6 salted egg yolks, mashed
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25 g Noosa Black Garlic Cloves, mashed into a paste
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2 small red chillies, finely sliced (optional)
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4 French shallots, finely diced
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10–12 fresh curry leaves
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100 g unsalted butter
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½ cup evaporated milk
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1 tsp sugar
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1 tbsp grapeseed or rice bran oil
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Additional oil for frying
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⅓ cup tapioca flour
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Sea salt, to taste
How to Make Salted Egg Yolks (Optional)
To prepare salted egg yolks at home:
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Place a layer of fine salt in a glass or plastic container.
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Separate the egg yolks (freeze the whites for another recipe).
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Place the yolks onto the salt and cover completely with more salt.
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Seal the container and refrigerate for 5 days.
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Rinse off the salt and bake the yolks on baking paper for 90 minutes at 90°C until firm.
This process creates the rich, savoury flavour that defines salted egg dishes.
Method
1. Prepare the Moreton Bay bugs
Clean and split the bug tails lengthwise (many seafood retailers sell them pre-prepared).
Pat dry with paper towel and set aside.
2. Fry the bug tails
Lightly dust the bug tails in tapioca flour.
Heat oil in a deep pan until hot.
Fry the bug tails gently until lightly golden and crisp.
Remove and drain on paper towel.
3. Cook the aromatics
Heat the grapeseed oil and butter in a wok or large frying pan over medium heat.
Add the curry leaves and shallots and stir-fry until fragrant and the curry leaves turn crisp.
4. Add the black garlic and salted egg
Stir in the mashed Noosa Black Garlic Cloves and salted egg yolks.
Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly until the yolks foam and form a rich golden paste.
5. Create the sauce
Add the evaporated milk and sugar, stirring well to form a creamy, savoury sauce.
Simmer gently for 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened.
6. Coat the seafood
Return the fried bug tails to the pan and toss gently in the sauce for about 1 minute, just long enough to coat without overcooking the seafood.
7. Finish and serve
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed.
Transfer the bugs to a serving platter and spoon over the rich salted egg sauce.
Top with crispy curry leaves and fresh chilli slices if you enjoy a little heat.
Serving Suggestions
Serve immediately with:
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steamed jasmine rice
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fluffy mantou buns
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simple stir-fried greens
These are perfect for sharing platters, seafood feasts or indulgent weekend dinners.
Why Black Garlic Works So Well Here
The addition of Noosa Black Garlic Cloves enhances the salted egg sauce with deep umami flavour and gentle sweetness.
Black garlic’s notes of balsamic, caramel and molasses balance the richness of the butter and salted egg, creating a beautifully layered seafood dish.