Crabs in Coconut Milk
(Guinataang Alimasag)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
2 12-ounce cans coconut milk
6 whole blue or rock crabs, well cleaned or 1 pound crag legs
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
4 green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths

Heat the oil in a large pot and saute the garlic and ginger.

Add the coconut milk, bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half, stirring occasionally.

Add the crabs, salt and pepper to the pot and mix well. Cover the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Add the green unions and simmer for another 3 minutes or until the unions are just tender.

Serve with hot rice. Makes 3-4 servings.

Oriental Barbecued Chicken
(From the Filipino Cuisine: Recipes from the Islands by Gerry G. Gelle)

2 2-1/2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces each
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon ginger, minced or grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup sake (Japanese rice wine) or sherry
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1-1/4 cups olive oil

Wash and dry the chicken pieces thoroughly and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Place in a bowl and set aside.

For the marinade, combine all the rest of the ingredients, using only 1/4 cup of the oil, in a saucepan and cook over low heat for a few minutes. Pour the marinade over the chicken and refrigerate, covered, for 4-6 hours or overnight, turning the pieces occasionally for an even coating.

Remove the chicken and brush the pieces with the remaining 1 cup of olive oil.

To cook in an oven: Broil the chicken 6 inches from the heat for 15 minutes. Brush with more olive oil, turn the pieces and cook for another 10 minutes, or until done.

To cook over charcoal: Grill the chicken pieces 4-6 inches over hot coals for 15 minutes. Baste with olive oil and cook the other side for 10 more minutes, or until done. Makes 4-5 servings.

(For recipes for adobo, pancit and other Filipino recipes see the Filipino Cuisine: Recipes from the Islands by Gerry G. Gelle.)

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