This is a recipe involving crayfish. It is also known as crawfish and freshwater lobster. The dish is called Crawfish in Coconut Milk with Spinach. It is tasty and rich dish that is best paired with nothing but rice. This cooking method is known as “Ginataan” in Filipino. I have prepared countless ginataan recipes in this blog for you to try.
These crawfish were store bought. It was already pre-steamed to make it last longer. If you are residing somewhere in Louisiana, or other places were these crustaceans are abundant then chances are that you can get these fresh, or even alive.
I started out by sautéing onion and garlic in a large pot. These are the aromatics for this dish. Once the room starts to smell good, that means that the onions are almost done. Open all your windows and the vent this time because the shrimp paste (or bagoong) is going to go next. This ingredient is my favorite. I do not care how pungent it is as long as it tastes good. Pork binagoongan and pinakbet are some of the dishes that makes use of shrimp paste.
Canned coconut milk was used to cook this dish. I have my favorite brand that I always use most of the time. That is how it goes; I stick with brands that work best for me. It will be ideal to get freshly squeezed coconut milk from the market, but do not stress yourself if it is not accessible. Let the coconut milk boil with the shrimp paste and aromatics until it reduces to half.
Almost all crawfish from the supermarket (if available) are already pre-steamed. This means that the package contains orange crawfish. If this this is the case for you, no need to steam it again. All you need to do is wash these in running water. Let the crawfish cooked in coconut milk for a few minutes until the liquid extracts its flavor. Add the remaining ingredients and then you are done.
Give this Crawfish in Coconut Milk with Spinach Recipe a try. Enjoy
Crawfish in Coconut Milk with Spinach
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. crawfish steamed
- 4 cups 2 cans coconut milk
- 5 pieces long green chili
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 3 tablespoons shrimp paste
- 1 medium onion minced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed and chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon powdered black pepper or white pepper
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil
Instructions
- Heat oil in a cooking pot
- Sauté onion and garlic until the onion turns translucent
- Add the shrimp paste. Stir and cook for 30 seconds.
- Pour the coconut milk in the pot. Let boil. Cover and cook in medium heat until it reduces to half.
- Add the chili and crawfish. Stir and cook for 5 minutes while stirring every minute.
- Slide-in the spinach and add the pepper powder. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve with warm white rice.
- Share and enjoy!
Nutrition
Renzy Lusoc says
A big thank you for this recipe. Nakakatakam po talaga kuya. Ano po ang pagkakaiba ng crawfish sa ulang?
Vanjo Merano says
Renzy, that is a good question. Parehong matatagpuan sa fresh water and ulang at crawfish pero may malaking pagkakaiba. Mas kahawig ng hipon o sugpo ang ulang, samantala para namang lobster na maliit itong crawfish. Itong gamit ko sa recipe ay may sukat na 2 to 3 inches lamang.
Ang ulang ay kilala rin sa tawag na fresh river prawn at nabubuhay din ito sa Pilipinas. Sa katunayan, isang delicacy ng Romblon province ang dish na kung tawagin ay “Sarsa”. Ito ay gawa sa ulang.
Gavin says
Can crawfish even be found sa pinas? I want to retire there sometime this summer, once my paperwork is complete. I am native Louisiana Kunas, and love crafish. Nagtrabaho ako sa pinas ng maraming taon, at gusto ko bumalik sa inyo. Maraming kahawig sa luto natin at gustong-gusto ko ang mga pagkain pinay.