Estimated Nutrition (whole recipe, rough)
What these numbers assume — 11 portions →
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Crab | 100g cooked | 97 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Lime | juice of 1 lime (44ml) | 11 |
| Clove | 1 tsp ground (2g) | 7 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Bay Leaf | 1 leaf (0.6g) | 2 |
| Parsley | 1 tbsp chopped fresh (3.8g) | 1 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
Totals for the whole recipe, adding one typical portion per ingredient — listed above. Quantities in the recipe are not counted, so this is a rough guide only — not suitable for medical or dietary planning.
Ingredients
- 6 live (1-pound ea) crabs
- 1 cup vinegar
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 large tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig parsley
- 3 large onions
- 2 whole cloves
- 3 limes, juiced
- 1 tablespoon dende oil
- 1 teaspoon Pili Pili
Directions
Wash the crabs and place them live in a large stockpot full of boiling water to which the vinegar, salt, and pepper have been added.
Cook the crabs for 10 minutes, skimming off any residue that rises to the top of the water. T
hen add the whole tomatoes, the bay leaf, parsley, and one of the onions with the cloves stuck in it.
Remove the tomatoes after 5 minutes and continue to cook the rest of the ingredients for an additional 5 minutes or until the crabs are done.
Remove the crabs. (You may wish to reserve the water in which the crabs have been cooked to use for cooking the white rice that traditionally accompanies this dish.)
Remove the crabmeat from the body and the claws, trying to maintain the shells for serving.
Place the crabmeat in the lime juice.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan.
Mince the two remaining onions and brown them lightly in the oil.
Add the cooked tomatoes and cook the mixture until it is reduced to a pastelike consistency.
When the mixture is reduced, add the Pili Pili, stir to ensure that the flavors are mixed, verify flavoring, and serve hot.
The crabs are traditionally served in their own shells or in ceramic shells, on a bed of rice covered with the sauce.
Alternately, the sauce may be served separately in a sauceboat.
Category:Beninese Recipes
Category:Beninese Meat Dishes