886. Coconut Steamed Crabs

A huge part of influence on a county's culture comes from its immigrants. In regards to the Arabian Gulf, the Indian influence is undeniable and can be seen in everything from karak and biryani to henna parties and movie screenings. The Filipino influence is just as prominent, as displayed by population statistics.
So this recipe, given to me generously by a friend and sister, is the product of Filipinos living in the Arabian Gulf and merges perfectly the two cultures. Local blue crab are steamed in coconut milk spiked with the quintessential Arabian cardamom, cinnamon, onion, garlic, and ginger. The corn was phenomenal and absorbed the medley of flavors like a sponge. Be prepared to roll up your sleeves and forget the cutlery here. Having a meat mallet and a wooden board on hand makes getting the meat from the claws that much easier. Consider 4 to 6 crabs per person, as they are rather small. Take into account who you are cooking for in terms of food allergies when making this recipe.

Ingredients:

20 blue crab
1 can coconut milk
2 onions, quartered
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 knobs ginger, sliced
1 cinnamon bark
15 pc cardamom
8-10 corn cob halves

Method:

Soak the crab in plenty of water and salt to help release any residual sand.
In a large pot, put the coconut milk, onion, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and corn cobs.
Fill the pot with the rinsed and drained crab.
Bring to a boil, cover the pot, reduce heat to medium, and allow to steam for 1 hour.
To serve, discard the cooking liquid and aromatics and arrange the crab and corn on a large platter.
Serve with plenty of fresh lemon wedges, hotsauce, melted green butter, and a wooden board with a meat mallet to get into those claws!

 صحة و عافية