This is a recipe that reminds me of loud, raucous lunches at home in Kannur with my parents, sisters and their husbands and all the grandkids. Crab is a communal eating experience don’t you think? It means lunch is longer than usual, and the rice, curries and thoran sit mostly untouched, while the mound of crab shell on everyone’s plates grows alarmingly fast. The sounds of slurping out the flesh from the crab claws, and everyone putting their molars to the test by trying to crack open the shells is the soundtrack of the meal. When Sajjad and I were in Kannur this weekend, mum made a batch and while it was delicious, it isn’t the same without the rest of the family competing for the best bits.
Like so many of our dishes, it is has the same few supporting ingredients playing the same roles, and yet, it tastes completely different thanks to the star ingredient. Unlike Taylor Swift’s last album, where Joe Alwyn + varied situations = same songs. Is the math mathing? Anyway, enjoy the crab!
RECIPE: Chilli Crab Curry
Ingredients
1 kg crab, cleaned and cut into pieces
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4-5 cloves garlc
2 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder ( or a mix of Kashmiri and Byedgi, if you’d like it a little spicier)
1/2 tsp turmeric
Marble-size piece of tamarind soaked in 1/2 cup water
2 tbsp coconut oil
Small handful curry leaves
Salt
Method
Smoosh the tamarind in the water to get out as much tamarind pulp as you can. Strain to remove the tamarind pulp. Set the tamarind water aside.
In a kadai or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the oil.
Add the onion and garlic and stirrng occasionally, wait for the onion to change colour to a light brown.
Add in the tamarind water, followed by the chilli powder and turmeric powder. Give it a good stir.
In goes the crab. Mix well, add salt and cover and let it cook on a low flame for 5 minutes.
Give it a stir and allow to cook for another 5 minutes until the masala thickens and coats the crab.
Add in the curry leaves, check for seasoning.
Enjoy!