Curried Crab
Recipe by Arjay Magan, 29 years old, Wellington
Bombay Style Curried Crabs with Jeera (cumin) Rice
serves 3-4
Recipe by Arjay Magan
8-10 medium size paddle or mud crabs
1 cup rice
2-3 medium onions roughly chopped (more onions will result in a
thicker curry)
1 -2 tins of Watties Indian style chopped tomatoes (depending if
you want a soupy curry or a dry type curry)
1 cup chopped coriander
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tspn cloves
2-4 sticks cinnamon
5 star anise pods
1 tsp green cardamom pods
1 tbsp garam masala
3-4 tbsp fish masala (available from asian stores)
1 tbsp ginger
1 tbsp garlic
1 -2 tbsp finely minced or chopped green birdseye chillies
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 bay leaves
10-15 curry leaves
juice of 1 lemon
4 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 chopped red onion for garnish
1 Wash and rinse rice thoroughly till water is clear. Leave to
drain. In a saucepan or rice cooker, add a teaspoon of vegetable
oil. Once oil is hot, add 1 bay leaf, 2 cloves, 6 curry leaves and
1 tsp cumin . Quickly fry off for 20-30 seconds stirring
constantly. Add rice. stir for 1 min, then add 2 cups of
water and ý tsp salt. Cook as per usual until done. Garnish
with coriander.
2 Clean crabs by lifting top shell away and clean as per usual. Cut
crabs in quarter pieces and crush the claws with back of a knife
for easy eating. Rinse and leave to drain of water.
3 In a wok shaped saucepan heat remaining 3 tsp oil till hot. Add
cinnamon, star anis, cloves, cardamom and fry for 30 seconds. Add
remaining curry leaves and bay leaves, fry for 30 seconds.
4 Add chopped onion and let soften on a low medium heat till
transparent. Do not brown the onions. Stir regularly for 5-10
min. Once onions are soft, add the garlic, ginger and chili.
Stir for 1 minute. Add garam masala and stir for one
minute.
5 Add the masala and cook for 5-10 min till onions are a deep burnt
orange color. Let the flavors combine and be absorbed by the
onions. Add 1 tsp salt and stir.
6 After 5 mins, add one tin of chopped tomatoes and stir . Add
juice of ý lemon and ý cup coriander. Bring to a
simmer on low heat and add the crab. Cover and let cook for 20-30
minutes.
The crab will actually cook in 5 minutes or so but the longer you
leave the crab in the more juices will run out and flavor the curry
to a hot and sweet crayfish like flavor. The crab will not
overcook as long as you cook on a low - low medium
heat.
Once crab is cooked and has given the curry its uniquely sweet,
seafood flavor, garnish with remaining coriander and some chopped
red onion. Service with jeera (cumin) rice.
