Pro Tips
**Chef's Tips & Troubleshooting:**
- Cook shrimp and squid quickly over high heat — they turn rubbery in under 3 minutes.
- Do not overcook shrimp — they are done as soon as they turn pink and curl into a C-shape.
- Marinate seafood for no more than 15-20 minutes — acid from calamansi or vinegar can cook it prematurely.
- Remove the vein from shrimp with a toothpick for a cleaner presentation and texture.
Cooking Tips
Seafood cooks quickly — remove it from heat the moment it turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Overcooking makes it tough and rubbery. Pat shellfish dry before adding to the pan so they sear rather than steam. A hot, quick cook preserves their natural sweetness.
Ingredient Substitutions
Short on time? A pressure cooker (Instant Pot) can reduce cooking time by roughly half for most braised and stewed Filipino dishes. Reduce liquid slightly since less evaporates.
Storage & Reheating
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. The flavors often deepen overnight, making leftovers even more delicious. Seafood dishes are best consumed within 1–2 days. Reheat gently — microwave on low power or warm in a covered skillet over low heat to avoid overcooking. Do not refreeze thawed seafood dishes. Once reheated, consume immediately and do not re-refrigerate. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
Chili Garlic Crab and Shrimp
This is a Filipino version of the classic chili crab recipe. I added shrimp so that this will have a variety of seafood ingredients.
Instructions
- Heat oil in a cooking pot. Sauté the onion, garlic, ginger, and Thai chili pepper.
- Once the onion softens, add shrimp. Cook until the color of the shrimp turns orange. Remove the shrimp and place on clean plate. Set the shrimp aside.
- Continue cooking by adding the crab. Cook while stirring occasionally for 3 to 5 minutes. Note: I am using blue crab for this recipe.
- Add water into the pot and then add Knorr Chicken Cube. Cover the pot and let the liquid boil.
- Add tomato paste and banana ketchup. Stir. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the shrimp back into the pot. Also add some green onions. Cover the pot and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Season with salt and ground black pepper.
- Add the beaten egg. Stir.
- Make a slurry by combining cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water. Pour the mixture into the pan. Stir until the sauce thickens.
- Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot.
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Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
- Cook shrimp and squid quickly over high heat — they turn rubbery in under 3 minutes.
- Do not overcook shrimp — they are done as soon as they turn pink and curl into a C-shape.
- Marinate seafood for no more than 15-20 minutes — acid from calamansi or vinegar can cook it prematurely.
- Remove the vein from shrimp with a toothpick for a cleaner presentation and texture.
Cooking Tips
Pat shellfish dry before adding to the pan so they sear rather than steam. A hot, quick cook preserves their natural sweetness.
Substitutions
Storage & Reheating
Seafood dishes are best consumed within 1–2 days. Reheat gently — microwave on low power or warm in a covered skillet over low heat to avoid overcooking.
Do not refreeze thawed seafood dishes. Once reheated, consume immediately and do not re-refrigerate.
Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
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