Bunta’a

Method

1. Clean the crabs thoroughly and remove the gills and inedible parts. Reserve the clean top shells and pick out the body meat.
2. Mix the crab meat with young coconut, aligue if using, half the onion, garlic, ginger, chilies, and a little fish sauce.
3. Cook a teaspoon of filling in a small pan and adjust the seasoning before stuffing the shells.
4. Pack the filling into the reserved crab shells without compressing it too tightly, then secure with leaf strips if needed.
5. Arrange the stuffed shells in a wide pan. Add the remaining aromatics and pour coconut milk around, not directly over, the filling.
6. Cover and simmer gently 12–15 minutes, until the crab filling is steaming hot and set.
7. Add coconut cream and simmer uncovered 5–8 minutes, spooning sauce around the shells until it lightly coats a spoon.
8. Serve immediately with rice, spooning the coconut sauce over each stuffed crab.