Description
The sight of live crabs being sold in Chinatown brought back mouthwatering memories of mom’s crab curry which I used to devour and I wanted to relive the experience. The body is cooked whole along with the pincers and legs. The legs usually don’t have much meat but add flavor to the dish. The curry is purposely on the milder side to ensure that the spices do not overpower the delicate meat flavor. It is best when eaten the next day! Serve with hot rice cooked with a couple of cloves and piece of cinnamon.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 whole star anise pod, crushed
- 3 whole black peppercorns
- 3 dried chile peppers
- ¾ teaspoon urad dal
- ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 large red onions, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons ground red chile pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- salt to taste
- 2 cups water, divided
- 3 ripe plum tomatoes, pureed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¾ cup grated fresh coconut
- ¼ cup coconut milk
- 1 pod tamarind, soaked in warm water, juice extracted
- 6 crabs, cleaned
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Total Time: 3 hrs
Servings: 6