~1317 cal · 14g protein · 92g carbs · 106g fat (estimated, per serving)
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Crab in coconut sauce with steamed taro
🇫🇲 Palikir
The coconut crab — the world's largest land crab — is a celebrated delicacy across Micronesia, its rich, buttery meat naturally scented by the coconuts it eats. On Pohnpei it is cooked simply in coconut cream to let that flavor shine, served with steamed taro from the island's lush gardens.
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Toggle a diet and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional substitutes.
🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
Ingredients
Serves 4 —
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2 lb crab (coconut crab or blue/king crab)
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1.5 lb taro root, peeled
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1.5 cups thick coconut cream
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1 onion, chopped
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3 cloves garlic, minced
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1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
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1 lime
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to taste salt
Instructions
1
Steam or boil the taro until tender.
2
Soften the onion, garlic, and ginger.
3
Add the crab (or hearts of palm and mushrooms) and the coconut cream and simmer gently until cooked and glossy.
4
Finish with lime and salt.
5
Serve the crab in its coconut sauce with the steamed taro.
Pohnpei tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination
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Palikir. A Pohnpei capital prized for coconut crab.
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Micronesia. Caroline Islands prized for coconut crab and taro.
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Oceania. Island kitchens where coconut and the sea rule.
The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.
👩🍳
Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker
Recipes cooked, tested, and researched by the creators of Spin the Globe. How we build our recipes →
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