Recipe: Marinduque’s Guinataang Katang

MANILA, Philippines — All roads lead to Marinduque, the Southern Tagalog island province, this Holy Week because the Moriones Festival takes place there.

With its rich and bountiful seas teeming with fresh seafood, guests are likely to partake of Marinduque’s local seafood specialties, one of which is Guinataang Katang (alimango or crab), whose recipe is featured today.

The dish was prepared by Jinky Zulueta-Ricamata, niece of my husband Raff Zulueta, who hails from Marinduque.

Guinataang Katang

INGREDIENTS:

1-1/2 kgs. katang (alimango or crabs)

Ginger, sliced

Salt to taste

2 cups coconut milk (second squeeze)

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pc. big onion, chopped

1/4 kg. okra

1 bundle sitaw (stringbeans)

1 wedge squash, peeled and sliced into bite sizes

2 cups kakang-gata (coconut cream or first squeeze)

Few pcs. siling pansigang (finger chili)

PROCEDURE:

1. Clean the crabs and cut them into halves. Crack their claws. Blanch them in a pot of water with ginger and salt. Remove and set aside.

2. Pour the coconut milk into a wok. Add garlic and onion. Let it boil.

3.  Add the okras and stringbeans.

4. Add the squash.

5. Season with salt to taste.

6. Add the blanched crabs.

7. Add the kakang-gata. Let it boil.

8. To add heat or spice to the dish, add a few pieces of siling pansigang.

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