Ginataang Alimasag (Crabs in Coconut Milk)

Name: Ginataang Alimasag (Crabs in Coconut Milk)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: filipino
Ingredients: 2 whole Dungeness crabs; 0.5 cup garlic oil; 0.5 cup sliced garlic; 1 yellow onion, sliced; 1 cup thinly sliced ginger rounds, with skin on; 0.5 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; 1.5 quarts coconut milk; 0.5 quart water, or more as needed; 1 bunch fresh spinach; 0.5 cup bias-sliced scallions, greens only

5.00 (3)

⏱ 70 mins 🍽 Serves 8 🌶 filipino 🏷 Main course

This authentic Filipino dish features Dungeness crabs cooked in a creamy, aromatic coconut milk broth. The sauce is built with garlic, ginger, onion, and a distinctive shrimp paste, then simmered until thickened. Fresh spinach is added at the end for a touch of green. The result is a deeply savoury and comforting stew, perfect for a family dinner. It takes about 70 minutes to prepare from start to finish.

Ingredients

2 whole Dungeness crabs
0.5 cup garlic oil
0.5 cup sliced garlic
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 cup thinly sliced ginger rounds, with skin on
0.5 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
1.5 quarts coconut milk
0.5 quart water, or more as needed
1 bunch fresh spinach
0.5 cup bias-sliced scallions, greens only

Method

Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook the crabs for 8 to 10 minutes until their shells become bright red. Immediately transfer them to the ice water to cool. Drain and set the crabs aside.
Warm the garlic oil in a large wok. Add the sliced garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it turns golden. Stir in the onion and ginger, cooking for 4 to 5 minutes until the onion softens. Add the scallion whites and season with salt and black pepper.
Pour in the fish sauce and let it cook for 1 minute. Mix in the shrimp paste and toast it for about 3 minutes. Add the sliced Thai chiles and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the coconut milk and water, bringing the liquid to a simmer. Reduce the heat and cook for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens, adding more water if needed.
Crack the cooked crabs, extracting the meat and discarding the shells. Add the crabmeat and any juices to the simmering sauce. Let it cook for 8 to 10 minutes so the flavours combine. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach until it wilts. Finish by sprinkling with the scallion greens.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories566 kcal

Fat52 g

Sugars2 g

Protein13 g

Sodium309 mg

Recipe details

CategoryMain course

Cuisinefilipino

AuthorMusang