''Curacha Alavar'', sometimes referred to as ''curacha con salsa Alavar'' ("Curacha with Alavar sauce") in
Chavacano
Chavacano or Chabacano is a group of Spanish-based creole language varieties spoken in the Philippines. The variety spoken in Zamboanga City, located in the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao, has the highest concentration of speakers. ...
a
Spanish-based creole language
A Spanish creole, or Spanish-based creole language, is a creole language (contact language with native speakers) for which Spanish serves as its substantial ''lexifier''.
A number of creole languages are influenced to varying degrees by the Spa ...
, is a
Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
dish made from
spanner crabs (''
curacha
''Curacha'', also known as "spanner crab" or "red frog crab", is a local Chavacano name given to ''Ranina ranina'', commonly found in the waters of Sulu province and Zamboanga and Bataan province. It is a large crab with a red color, which stays ...
''), garlic, ginger, salt, and Alavar sauce. The key ingredient is the Alavar sauce, a secret blend of coconut milk, ''
taba ng talangka
''Taba ng talangka'' (), also known simply as ''aligi'' (; es, arigue o es, label=none, aligué), is a Filipino seafood paste derived from the roe and reddish or orange tomalley of river swimming crabs or Asian shore crabs (''talangka'').
C ...
'' (crab roe paste), and various spices.
It is a regional specialty of the
Zamboanga City
Zamboanga City, officially the City of Zamboanga (Chavacano and es, Ciudad de Zamboanga, Tausug language, Tausūg: ''Dāira sin Sambuangan'', fil, Lungsod ng Zamboanga, ceb, Dakbayan sa Zamboanga), is a city in the Zamboanga Peninsula region ...
. The sauce was invented by Maria Teresa Camins Alavar and is originally served in the Alavar Seafood Restaurant. The restaurant now sells the original Alavar sauce recipe in packets. It is a variant of the traditional ''
ginataang curacha'' (curacha in coconut milk). The recipe can also be made with mud crabs (''cangrejo'') or prawns (''locon'').
See also
*
Ginataang hipon
''Ginataang hipon'' is a Filipino seafood soup made from shrimp in coconut milk and spices. It differs from other types of ''ginataan'' (which also commonly include shrimp), in that it does not use vegetables. It is a type of ''ginataan''. Var ...
*
Halabos
''Halabós'' is a Filipino cooking process consisting of fresh shrimp, crab, or other crustaceans cooked in water and salt. Modern versions of the dish commonly add spices and use carbonated lemon drinks instead of water for a sweeter sauce.
...
*
Ginataan
''Ginataan'' (pronounced: ), alternatively spelled ''guinataan'', is a Filipino term which refers to food cooked with ''gatâ'' (coconut milk). Literally translated, ''ginataan'' means "done with coconut milk". Due to the general nature of the t ...
References
{{Seafood
Philippine cuisine