EVERYDAY DINNERS: Shrimp In Coconut Crab Sauce

Shrimp in Coconut Crab Sauce 

Serves 4

• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lemongrass bulbs, pounded
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/2 cup bottled crab fat
• juice of half a lemon
• 3/4 cup coconut milk, freshly pressed from the market or in tetra pack
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 kilo large or medium-size shrimp, suahe variety, cleaned and trimmed
• 1 bunch wansuy (coriander) leaves, divided

1. In a large pan, sauté onion, garlic and lemongrass bulbs in hot oil until onions start to caramelize. 

2. Add crab fat and lemon juice and continue cooking for a minute. Add coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Add shrimp and let simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens and shrimp is cooked. 

4. Coarsely chop wansuy, setting aside some for garnish, and fold into dish. Garnish with remaining wansuy and serve right away.

COOK’S NOTE: 

Store any leftover coconut milk in an airtight container and freeze for your next cooking. Keep extra lemongrass stalks in the refrigerator in a paper bag for next use. Ideally, wansuy should be used right away, but for any left over, wrap roots in wet tissue and store loosely in a plastic storage bag in the fridge.

This recipe first appeared in FOOD Magazine, February 2014 issue

Recipe and styling by Tina Concepcion Diaz 

Photo by Paulo Valenzuela