Curried Crab with Coconut and Chili
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 2 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 2 servings
- Calories
- 1024
- Total Fat
- 53
- Saturated Fat
- 35
- Carbohydrates
- 39
- Dietary Fiber
- 14
- Sugar
- 8
- Protein
- 102
- Cholesterol
- 398
- Sodium
- 2200
- Total: 3 hr 5 min
- Prep: 30 min
- Inactive: 2 hr
- Cook: 35 min
Ingredients
2 1/4 pounds live crab
1/4 cup coriander seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
Sea salt
5 1/2 ounces white wine vinegar
2 ounces desiccated coconut
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
5 garlic cloves
1 large green chile, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium ripe tomato, diced
10 fresh curry leaves
1/2 ounce fresh turmeric, peeled and finely grated
1 tablespoon chile powder
9 ounces unsweetened coconut milk
Directions
- Place the crab in the freezer for 2 hours or until it stops moving. Remove the legs and crack them with a rolling pin. Remove the top of the shell and clean out the insides with your fingers. Chop the crab and top shells in half.
- Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds and peppercorns and stir constantly until the seeds become toasted and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Cool completely.
- To make the paste, grind the coriander seeds, cumin seeds and peppercorns with a pinch of salt using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. Transfer the spice mixture to a food processor and add the vinegar, coconut, ginger, garlic, chile and onions and blend to form a paste.
- Heat the oil in a heavy, large, wide pot over low heat. Add the paste and saute until fragrant and some of the juices evaporate, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the tomato, curry leaves, turmeric, chili powder and a pinch of salt and cook until the tomato pieces are tender and melting into the sauce, 5 minutes. Add the crab and 4 1/2 ounces water, increase the heat to medium and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer or until the crab pieces are cooked through, 10 minutes. Mix in the coconut milk and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
- Divide the crab pieces and sauce among shallow wide soup plates and serve immediately.