Creamy Coconut Crab Curry

Crab dishes are not very popular in Kerala. I know many of my friends who have never tasted a crab dish in their life. But I like Crab recipes, what ever form it may be. This crab recipe can be used as a side dish with chappathis or nan as it has a thick , tasty gravy. The taste of Coconut over powers the dish to absolute perfection. Try it.

Ingredients

2 to 3 Big Crabs
1 Onion chopped
1/4 Fresh Coconut Grated
1 tbsp Fennel Seeds
1/2 tbsp Cumin Seeds
1/2 inch Ginger Chopped
3 to 4 Garlic Cloves
1 t/s Turmeric
1 t/s Red Chili Powder
1 t/s Coriander Powder
1 t/s Garam Masala
1 and ½ cup Water
Salt as per taste
1 tbsp Cooking cream
8 to 10 Curry leaves
2 tbsp Oil

Instructions

Clean the crabs gently. Keep them aside.
Take a frying pan. Add few drops of oil. Saute cumin seeds and fennel seeds . Once they crackle add half of the chopped onion.  Add chopped ginger and garlic. Saute all of them for about 3 mins on low or medium fire. Also add the grated coconut. Once the coconut color changes to brown. Combine all of them into the grinder.
Form a smooth paste.
Take 2 tbsp oil in a Wok or vessel. Saute The other half of onion.
Add crabs into it along with turmeric.
Also add Red chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Combine the crabs with these spices with the help of spatula.
After a minute add the coconut paste to it.
Now add water as per consistency required.
Now add curry leaves. Combine all of them well. Don't forget to add salt.
Let this curry boil for about 20 mins on medium fire. Don't cover this curry while cooking. Once the curry starts leaving oil, add 1 table spoon cooking cream and your crab curry is ready.

Crab Masala Fry

Crab dishes are not very popular. I know many of my friends who have never tasted a crab dish in their life. But I like Crab recipes, what ever form it may be. This one is a perfect dish with a melange of spices and the sweet crab flesh. I always make my Crab dishes very spicy because i like the combination of the intensity of spices with the soothing tasty crab flesh. Dont judge the outer hard shell of a crab with the time taken for cooking it because crabs get cooked very easily.  A few minutes in boiling water is enough to make the crab flesh perfectly cooked. Try it please.

Ingredients

Crab - 2
Onion - 1 big (finely chopped)
Tomato - 2-3 (finely chopped)
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilly Powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - handful
Cilantro - handful
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method

Bring water (1 or 2 cups) to a boil in a deep vessel. When it comes to a rolling boil, add enough salt and turmeric powder to it.
Add the crab to this and cook for 2-3 minutes. After that drain the water and keep it aside.
Heat the oil in a big kadai/pan and saute the onions till it turns brown in colour.
Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.
Next add the tomatoes, salt, chilly powder and coriander powder. (You can add few spoons of the water in which you cooked the crab to the masala to prevent the spices from getting burnt.)
Fry this mixture nicely till oil separates from the masala and most of the moisture has evaporated.
At this stage add the crab pieces, finely chopped curry leaves and coriander leaves.
Toss everything together for about 5 minutes till all the crab pieces are nicely coated with the masala.
Switch off. Tasty Crab Masala fry is ready to serve.