Steaming Talangka: A Quick, Easy, And Delicious Guide

Steamed talangka is a unique Filipino dish that is both simple and delicious. Talangka, or Asian shore crab, is a small crustacean that is typically steamed or fermented. This dish is usually served with a dipping sauce made of vinegar, fish sauce, and hot chili, and is often paired with steamed rice. The crabs are cooked with rock salt and steamed until they turn orange. The cooking process is simple, but the result is a tasty treat that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Cleaning and steaming the crabs

To cook steamed talangka, you'll first need to clean the crabs. Place the crabs in a deep casserole and wash them several times over with running water. Drain the water properly, but watch out for the strong live ones—they will try to escape!

Once drained, sprinkle rock salt over the crabs and toss them slightly with the lid on. Heat the casserole over a medium flame. As it heats up, the crabs will release a watery liquid, which will then boil and allow steam-cooking. Continue cooking over a medium heat until the crabs turn orange. You can toss them again while still covered to ensure even cooking. Cook until the liquid has almost gone and the crab shells are bright orange.

Serve in a wide dish with steamed rice and lots of calamansi, salt, or fish sauce. You can also spike the sauce with chopped bird's eye chillies for some extra heat.

Making a dipping sauce

Steamed talangka is a traditional Filipino dish. Talangka, or Asian shore crab, is a small crustacean that lives along river banks and in mangrove forests in the Philippines. The best talangka to use for this dish is a female one, as they have a thinner shell and more roe, making them easier to eat.

To make a dipping sauce for steamed talangka, you can use a combination of calamansi and salt. Calamansi is a small Philippine lime. If you want to make the sauce spicy, you can add chopped bird's eye chillies. Alternatively, you can use fish sauce, or "patis", as a dipping sauce. You can also make a dipping sauce using soy sauce, or "toyo", vinegar, and chilli. This sauce is called "toyo, suka, at sili" in the Philippines.

Cooking the crabs in coconut milk

Ginataang Talangka is a delicious Asian Shore Crab dish cooked in coconut milk. Here is a detailed recipe for preparing this mouth-watering meal.

Firstly, wash the shore crabs or talangka and drain them properly. Then, in a large pan, pour in two cups of thin coconut milk. Add ginger, garlic, onion, whole green peppers, salt, and MSG. Turn on the heat and wait for the coconut milk to boil. Once it reaches a boil, add gabi leaves and stalks. Simmer the mixture on low heat for about 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, pour in one cup of thick coconut milk and add the talangka. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens and oil comes out. This indicates that your delicious Ginataang Talangka is ready to be served! This dish is best enjoyed with steamed rice and a dipping sauce of calamansi, salt, or fish sauce.

There you have it—a simple yet delectable way to cook steamed talangka in coconut milk. Enjoy your meal!

Using crab fat in a rice dish

Talangka, or Asian shore crab, is a small crustacean that lives along river banks and in the mangrove forests of the Philippines. The crab fat, or taba ng talangka, is a popular ingredient in Filipino cuisine and can be used to make a variety of rice, pasta, and seafood dishes.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp (14.3 g) of garlic
• 1/3 cups (43 g) of taba ng talangka (crab fat)
• 1 tsp (4 g) of achiote powder, soaked and strained
• 3 US tbsp (44 ml) of hot water
• 1 US tbsp (15 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cups (360 g) of cooked rice

Instructions:

• Heat up the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the garlic and crab fat to the skillet and sauté until the mixture bubbles.
• Add the achiote juice and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add the cooked rice and stir until the rice is evenly coated with the crab fat sauce.
• Serve immediately. This dish is best served with grilled seafood, pork, or chicken.

Taba ng talangka can also be used to make fried rice with mixed seafood. Here is a recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 US tbsp (30 ml) of canola oil
• 1 tbsp (14.3 g) of chopped ginger
• 1 tbsp (14.3 g) of chopped garlic
• ¼ cup (30 g) of chopped onions
• 2 US tbsp (30 ml) of taba ng talangka (crab fat)
• ¼ lb (100 g) of shrimp, shelled and deveined
• ¼ cup (30 g) of tinapa flakes
• ½ (60 g) cup of squid rings
• 3 pieces of bay leaf
• ¼ cup (30 g) cup of green peas
• 4 cups (480 g) of cooked rice

Instructions:

• Heat up the canola oil in a large wok over medium-high heat.
• Add the garlic, ginger, and onions to the wok and sauté until fragrant.
• Add the crab fat, shrimp, tinapa, squid, and bay leaf to the wok and cook for 3 minutes.
• Season with salt and add the cooked rice and peas. Stir until the rice is heated through.
• Serve immediately. This dish can be garnished with green scallions.

Using crab fat in a pasta dish

Talangka, or Asian shore crab, is a small crustacean that is considered a delicacy in the Philippines. While it can be prepared in various ways, one popular method is to steam the crab and serve it with a dipping sauce. Here is a step-by-step guide to using crab fat in a pasta dish, inspired by the flavours of Talangka:

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of shrimp, cleaned
• 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup of crab fat (Taba ng Talangka)
• 2 pieces of calamansi
• 1 head of garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon of white vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper or cracked peppercorn
• Salt to taste
• Pasta of your choice (e.g. spaghetti, linguine)

Instructions:

• Melt the butter or margarine in a pan over medium heat.
• Add the shrimp and cook for 3-5 minutes, until they turn orange.
• Add the chopped garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
• Season with salt and cracked peppercorn or ground black pepper.
• Add the crab fat and stir. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
• Pour in the calamansi and vinegar, stirring to combine. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
• In a separate pot, cook your desired pasta according to the package instructions.
• Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it directly to the pan with the shrimp and crab fat mixture. Gently toss to coat the pasta.
• Serve immediately and enjoy!

This dish is best served while the pasta is still hot, as it allows the crab fat to coat the pasta and enhances the flavour. You can also add a squeeze of calamansi or lemon juice to add a tangy touch to the dish.

Tips:

• For an extra indulgent touch, you can add a splash of cream or milk to create a creamy crab pasta dish.
• If you want to incorporate more of the Talangka crab, you can use the cooked crab meat in addition to the crab fat.
• To enhance the flavour of the dish, you can also add ingredients such as chopped green onions or red pepper flakes.

Frequently asked questions