Tortang Alimasag is to me is one served with the crab shell. With pre-peeled crab meat available in the groceries, it’s easier to prepare tortang alimasag. One can prepare this by steaming the crabs and flaking the crab meat. The top shell is saved for filling in the crab meat. It is a bit more time consuming to prepare freshly steamed and flaking crab meat. Here is how we do it.
Ingredients
3 whole LARGE crabs
2 medium onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons green onions
2 tablespoons parsely or green bell pepper
2 tablespoon corn kernels
raisins (optional)
herbs like basil (optional)
salt
black pepper
2 eggs slightly beaten to seal crab meat in shell
oil to fry crab shell
Directions
1. Steam the crabs for around 15 minutes. Set aside to cool in the shell.
2. When crabs are cool, pick the crab meat . Set aside the freshly picked crab meat. Remove the legs from crab shell and retain the crab shell for stuffing. You will only be able to use 2 shells so choose the best shell.
4. Heat wok then add olive oil.
5. Saute onions and garlic.
6. Add crab meat, tomatoes, green onions, corn kernels, parsley.
7. Season with herbs (optional) , pepper and salt.
8. Cool slightly. Set aside.
9. Stuff the crab shell with the freshly cooked crab mixture until a heaping mound is formed on the crab shell.
10. Brush the top of the crab mixture with slightly beaten egg.
11. In a separate wok, heat oil with an inch of olive oil under medium heat.
12. Fry the crab shell with crab meat facing down. Don’t burn. You don’t have to fry the back of the shell but you can do so briefly.
Best served with salad of greens.