A creamy, deeply marine chupe from Tumbes. Mangrove crab builds its own broth, enriched with yellow ají and annatto; potato, corn, fava beans, peas, and noodles provide body before a final addition of egg, milk, and oregano.
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Wash the mangrove crabs thoroughly under cold water, scrubbing the shell, legs, and joints to remove mud. Discard any specimen with an abnormal smell. Finely chop the red onion and prepare the diced yellow potatoes and pieces of corn.
Place the crabs in a large pot with the water and bring to a boil. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the shells are fully red and the meat is cooked. Remove the crabs with tongs and carefully strain the broth to eliminate any remaining sand; reserve both.
Heat the vegetable oil in the clean pot and cook the red onion for 4 minutes, until translucent. Add the ground garlic, yellow ají paste, annatto, cumin, and pepper; cook for another 3 minutes, stirring, until fragrant, glossy, and no longer raw-tasting.
Return the crab broth to the pot and add the corn, fresh fava beans, fresh peas, and salt. Once boiling, add the angel hair noodles and cook for 5 minutes. Add the yellow potatoes and continue simmering for 8 to 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the noodles have given the broth body without falling apart.
Reduce the heat to low. Lightly beat the eggs and pour them in a thin stream while stirring gently to form ribbons and give the chupe body. Add the evaporated milk and dried oregano, return the crabs to the pot, and heat for another 2 minutes without allowing a violent boil. Serve one crab per bowl with plenty of broth and vegetables: it should be creamy and substantial while still clearly a soup, with crab flavor leading the milk. 🦀
