Ginataang Alimasag (Crabs in Coconut Milk)

Crabs simmer in coconut milk, shrimp paste, ginger, and chiles in ginataang alimasag (crabs in coconut milk), a Filipino stew bursting with sea flavors.

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 566 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 bunch fresh spinach
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 whole Dungeness crabs
• 1 cup thinly sliced ginger rounds, with skin on
• 1 (8.75 ounce) jar sauteed shrimp paste (such as Kamayan)
• 5 Thai chiles, sliced into thin rings
• 0.5 cup garlic oil
• 0.5 cup sliced garlic
• 0.5 cup bias-sliced scallions, whites only
• 1.5 quarts coconut milk
• 0.5 quart water, or more as needed
• 0.5 cup bias-sliced scallions, greens only

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add crabs 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.

Step 2

Heat a large wok over medium-high heat; add garlic oil. Add garlic; cook until lightly toasted and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion and ginger; sauté until onion is translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add scallion whites; season with a few pinches of salt and black pepper.

Step 3

Add fish sauce; let infuse for 1 minute. Stir in shrimp paste; cook until toasted, about 3 minutes. Add Thai chiles; sauté for 1 minute. 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.

Step 4

Meanwhile, crack open crabs; remove meat and discard shells. Add crabmeat to sauce along with any accumulated juices; simmer until flavors meld, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Toss in spinach until wilted. Garnish with scallion greens.