Mindanao is rich in kinds of seafood. To mention a few: Tuna, Clams, Squids, Shrimps, etc and of course CRABS my favorite!
Here I will share with you my favorite recipe: BOILED KING CRABS WITH COCONUT MILK.
Ingredients:
6 to 7 King Crabs (thoroughly cleaned)
water for steaming
1 medium-size onion, peeled and chopped
2 thumb-size ginger, peeled and julienned
1 piece bell pepper, shredded
4 cups of coconut milk (pure)
1 cup young coconut meat, shredded
salt to taste
Instructions:
Under cold running water, wash crabs well. Scrub shells with a kitchen brush to rid of dirt and grime and discard the gills and the content of the stomach out of the crab - except for the Crab Roe/Crab Fats(be careful with your hands-on crab pincers - just get a firm grip on all the legs, make sure it is well tied when washing them and remove the tie after washing the crabs). In a pot or casserole, put the shredded young coconut inside the crab's belly, then arrange crabs side down. Over medium heat, steam crabs for about 20 to 25 minutes or until color changes to orange. Add onions, bell pepper, and ginger and cook until limp and aromatic. Add coconut milk and simmer until reduced. Season with salt. Serve hot. Enjoy your finger-licking meal..hmmm...
Diosarich's Tip:
Boiled crab with coconut milk is one of the favorites among Dabawenyos with lots of spices and a young shredded coconut meat inserted in it. Crab Fat/ Crab Roe is really a BONUS if you choose to buy female crabs. Be sure that it is not full moon when you buy it because you will not find crab fats/crab roe inside it. Folks says that during full moon, crabs shed their outer skin (a periodic shedding of the cuticle in arthropods or the outer skin in reptiles during full moon.)