Discover the history of this region →
Casquinha de siri is sweet crabmeat sautéed with tomato, peppers and coconut milk, piled back into crab shells and baked under a golden cheese crust. It is a favorite at beach kiosks up and down the Brazilian coast, served with a squeeze of lime and a cold drink. Almond flour replaces the usual toasted crumbs on top.
Per serving: 247 calories · 4.2 g net carbs · 21 g protein · 16 g fat (calculated from the ingredients)
What You’ll Need
Ingredients
- 12 ounces lump crabmeat picked over for shells
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 small onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 small tomato seeded and finely chopped
- 1/3 red bell pepper finely chopped
- 1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
- 1/4 cup blanched almond flour
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
- Salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Set 8 cleaned crab shells or small ramekins on a baking sheet.
- Melt half of the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion, garlic, tomato and bell pepper until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the crabmeat and coconut milk and cook, stirring gently, for 3 to 4 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro and season with salt and pepper.
- Divide the crab mixture among the shells, pressing it in lightly.
- Mix the almond flour and Parmesan, then rub in the remaining butter with your fingertips. Sprinkle over the crab.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops are golden. Serve hot with lime wedges.
Notes
Nutrition
About This Dish
Siri is the Brazilian name for swimming crabs, a group that includes relatives of the blue crab, and they are caught in bays and mangroves all along the coast. Casquinha means little shell, because the filling is traditionally served in the cleaned top shell of the crab. The dish is a classic at barracas de praia, the beach shacks of Bahia, where it is ordered as a snack between swims. Many cooks add coconut milk or a drop of dendê for a Bahian touch. Restaurants that cannot get enough real shells often use ceramic or aluminum shell-shaped dishes instead.
Pairs Well With
- Brazilian Arroz Branco, Brazilian-Style Garlic Cauliflower Rice
- Brazilian Purê de Mandioquinha, Silky Root Purée in the Style of Mandioquinha
This recipe is from The Ultimate Brazilian Keto Cookbook by Gisele Costello, Chapter 7: Seafood (Pelourinho). See all Brazilian recipes