Prepare these delicious Indian-flavored crabs with spices and coconut milk. In India a “curry” dish indicates a preparation with a sauce. They are usually eaten accompanied by boiled rice or chapati (Indian bread). Enjoy these crustaceans flavored with onion, ginger, garlic and spices. The recipe proposed here goes best with boiled rice. If you are a fish lover, you can only adore this dish. Servings: 2-3.
Ingrediants
- 2 crabs (about 750 g)
- 2 small onions
- 2 tablespoons of ginger and garlic paste
- 4 dried red chillies (broken and seedless)
- 1 teaspoon of toasted poppy seeds
- 1 tablespoon of toasted coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon of toasted cumin seeds
- A pinch of toasted fenugreek seeds
- 4-5 black peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
- 100 ml of coconut milk
- 1/2 teaspoon of tamarind paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 2-3 of murraya leaves
- 2 teaspoons of oil
- 1/2 teaspoon of fennel seeds
- Salt to taste.
Steps
Step 1. How to toast the spices:
Simply heat a thick-bottomed non-stick pan over medium heat, individually add one spice at a time without oil. Reduce the heat to a minimum. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for even toasting. After 1-2 minutes a very good aroma will be released and the color of the spice will change. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the spice into a dish; it continues like this also for the following ones.
Step 2. Clean the crabs and place them in a saucepan with water (a little more than needed to cover them)
Add a tablespoon of salt. Bring them to a boil for 7-10 minutes. Remove the crabs from the water, add 1 bay leaf and continue to simmer the water until it reduces by half.
Step 3. In the meantime, take 4 dried red chillies, break them in half, remove and discard the seeds (the chillies are used to color the sauce but not to make it spicy)
Soak them, for about 30 minutes, with the toasted poppy seeds in about 120 ml of boiling water.
Step 4. Toast the other ingredients
Blend the onions, garlic and ginger, chillies and poppy seeds, coriander, cumin, fenugreek seeds, peppercorns and murraya leaves until you get a paste.
Step 5. Heat the oil in a pan and add the fennel seeds, sauté them for 10 seconds and add the previously blended mixture
Continue to cook everything over medium heat until it becomes dry and golden. Add the turmeric. Stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes. Filter the crab's boiling water and slowly add it to the onion paste until you get the desired consistency.
Step 6. Bring everything to a boil
Reduce the heat and then add the coconut milk. Stir constantly until the milk has blended well into a gravy. Add the tamarind paste. Taste the sauce and make the corrections you deem necessary according to your tastes. Bring it to a boil again and add the crabs. Turn off the heat.
Step 7. Serve the crabs and the sauce with simple boiled rice
Advice
Some parts of this recipe can be prepared well in advance. Toast the spices the day before. You can also boil the crabs in advance and store them in the fridge overnight
Warnings
- Always add coconut milk on low heat to prevent curdling. Stir constantly.
- Clean the crabs properly or ask the fishmonger to do it for you.
- Don't overcook the crabs.
