Ginataang Alimasag (Crabs in Coconut Milk)
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Description
Growing up in the Philippines, my dad would catch a lot of crab, and this was my favorite dish he'd make with it. It's a cross between a sauce and a stew, curry-like in texture and rich with flavors of the sea; think coconut milk, fish sauce, and shrimp paste, cut with the sharpness of ginger and scallions. Enjoy with freshly steamed white rice.
Ingredients
- 2 whole Dungeness crabs
- ½ cup garlic oil
- ½ cup sliced garlic
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 1 cup thinly sliced ginger rounds, with skin on
- ½ cup bias-sliced scallions, whites only
- kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 (8.75 ounce) jar sauteed shrimp paste (such as Kamayan)
- 5 Thai chiles, sliced into thin rings
- 1 ½ quarts coconut milk
- ½ quart water, or more as needed
- 1 bunch fresh spinach
- ½ cup bias-sliced scallions, greens only
Directions
- 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop crabs in and cook until shells turn bright red, 8 to 10 minutes. Plunge crabs into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.
- 2. Heat a large wok over medium-high heat and add garlic oil. Stir in garlic and cook until lightly toasted and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion and ginger and saute until onion is translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add scallion whites. Season with a few pinches of salt and pepper.
- 3. Add fish sauce and let infuse for 1 minute. Stir in shrimp paste and toast for about 3 minutes. Add Thai chiles; saute for 1 minute more. Pour in coconut milk and water. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes, adding more water if too dry.
- 4. Meanwhile, break open the crab. Add to the sauce along with any accumulated juices. Simmer until flavors meld, 8 to 10 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Toss in spinach and let wilt. Garnish with scallion greens.
Nutrition Facts
serving: 8 servings
calories: 566.2 kcal
carbohydrates: 19.3 g
protein: 12.7 g
saturated fat: 35 g
cholesterol: 23 mg
sodium: 308.9 mg
fiber: 4.2 g
sugar: 2.2 g
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