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CRAB
CURRY
(KOKAN COAST)
This recipe is from the home of
Sunita Pitamber of Bombay, one of India's leading hostesses.
The dish often graces her table. It is really hot and spicy
and not for the faint hearted. It can be made equally well with
prawns or lobster. Or even with fish, in which case the chillies
need to be reduced by 20 per cent, in order not to drown the
flavour of the fish. Avoid buying crabs around full moon because
they will not be fleshy.Kashmiri chillies are good because they
are mild. If using a stronger variety of chilli,choose a large
one with lots of skin but reduce the number depending on how
hot they are. The important thing is the colour and taste of
the chilli skin, not the 'heat'. Best eaten with boiled rice.This
recipe is from the home of Sunita Pitamber of Bombay, one of
India's leading hostesses. The dish often graces her table.
It is really hot and spicy and not for the faint hearted. It
can be made equally well with prawns or lobster. Or even with
fish, in which case the chillies need to be reduced by 20 per
cent, in order not to drown the flavour of the fish. Avoid buying
crabs around full moon because they will not be fleshy.Kashmiri
chillies are good because they are mild. If using a stronger
variety of chilli, choose a large one with lots of skin but
reduce the number depending on how hot they are. The important
thing is the colour and taste of the chilli skin, not the 'heat'.
Best eaten with boiled rice. |
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| Serves
4 |
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| 1
giant crab, cut into pieces or 4 medium |
ginger |
| crabs |
1
teaspoon poppy seeds, crushed |
1
coconut (275gms flesh)
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1
teaspoon coriander powder |
| 40g
whole dried Kashmiri chillies, |
1
teaspoon cumin seeds |
| seeds
and stalks removed |
1
onion |
| 1/2
teaspoon turmerice powder |
25g
tamarind |
| 5
garlic cloves |
5
tablespons oil |
| 11/2
x1-in (4x2.5-cm) piece of fresh |
salt |
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| 1 Wash the crab well. Remove the feathery
toes and the stomach sac attached to the shell just below the mouth.
Take out the brown meat from the shell along with any whitish bits
attached to it. Wash the main body shell to use in the curry for
adding flavour. The main meat is in the claws and is white in colour.
2 Peel and cut the coconut into small pieces. Liquidize with
11/2 cups water. strain and set aside (this
is the thick, first coconut milk) Once again liquidize the coconut
with 21/2 cups water (this is the second coconut
milk) Again strain and set aside.
3 Soak the chillies in a little warm water to soften them.
4 In a blender or food processor, grind the chillies, tumeric
powder, garlic, ginger poppy seeds, coriander and cumin seeds, and
the onion.
5 Soak the tamarind in 1 cup warm water.
6 Heat the oil in a cooking pot and add the spice paste.
Let it cook over a low heat for 15 minutes, stirring all the time.
If it sticks to the pan add 1/4 cup water.
Then add the second coconut milk and simmer for 10 minuters over
a very low heat. Add the crab claws and main
shell with about 1 teaspoon salt to the currry and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the tamarind water and the first coconut milk and bring to the
boil immediately . Then add the brown meat with whitish attachment.
Heat through and then serve.
Prawns or fish fillers may also be used in this recipe. (450
g sheiled prawns or 600g firm fish fillers
will be ample.) |
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