Tortang Alimasag

(Crab Omelet or Crab Relleno or Crab Egg Fu Yong)

This dish is about the same as the Filipino Stuffed Crabs but without the crab carapace. The ingredients are the same but with just a little difference in the cooking procedure. The cooking method is somewhat the same as making egg foo yong. It is also similar to Omelette – crab/shrimp filled.

This recipe makes 3 to 4 patties. You can double the recipe if you need to cook more. You can also add some vegetables like chopped celery, carrot sticks and/or chopped peppers if you like to increase the volume but use more eggs.

Ingredients:

1 cup (1/2 pint) lump crab meat
1 Roma tomato, diced
½ medium size onion, minced
1 large clove garlic (or two small), crushed and minced
Salt and pepper
2 or more eggs, beaten
Oil for frying

In a skillet on medium heat, saute the vegetables in 1 TBS. oil. First the garlic until fragrant then follow with the onions. Saute until the onions are soft and transparent then follow with the tomatoes, crushing and stirring until cooked. Drop in the crab meat and saute just until the crab meats are heated through (if they are already cooked). Add about ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp. black pepper or to your taste. Some people use patis instead of salt. Add a scant 1/4 tsp. MSG for the umami flavor if you are not against it. For sure I am not. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Break the eggs in a bowl, add 1/4 tsp. salt, a dash of pepper. Whisk until well beaten. Add the cooked and cooled crab meat and mix thoroughly.

Heat a thin layer of cooking oil in a wok or skillet and maintain medium heat. Ladle about 1/4 cup of the mixture and carefully pour it into the hot oil. Fry about a minute and check the bottom if browned. Flip carefully and fry the other side for another minute or until the egg is set. You may cook more than one if you are an experienced cook but do them one at a time if you are a beginner to avoid any oops.