Dungeness Crab Recipe
Dungeness crab curry using a South Indian recipe with tamarind, herbs, and homemade curry powder
Equipment
- Cast iron kadai (wok)
Ingredients
For the seafood curry powder:
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds white, hulled
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ stick cinnamon
- 2 cloves
- ½ tsp salt to taste
For the tempering:
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 1 star anise
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 1 black cardamom pod
For the Dungeness Crab Curry:
- 2 big Dungeness crabs
- 4 red onions sliced
- 2 big tomato chopped
- 2 tbsp wet, seedless tamarind soaked in 3 cups of water
- 1 bunch fenugreek leaves without the stalks
- 1 tbsp ginger chopped
- 6 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 tsp salt to taste
- 3 sprigs cilantro chopped
Instructions
How to make the seafood curry powder:
- Put the spices for the seafood curry powder on a pan and heat for two minutes stirring constantly. Do not let the spices burn but just smoke a little.
- Cool the spices and grind them to a fine powder. Add desired quantity of the powder to the crab curry. Cook for another 15 minutes on medium heat.
How to make the tempering:
- Season the pan with 1 tbsp of sesame oil. Add mustard seeds and wait for the mustard to splutter on medium heat. Add the fenugreek seeds, and turn off the heat. Now, add the curry leaves to bring out the flavor and aroma.
How to make the Dungeness Crab- South Indian curry recipe:
- Clean the crab well (see pictures above) until the flesh looks white without the yellow or gray goo or gills. Rub some salt and turmeric powder and set aside.
- In a cast iron Indian kadai (similar to a wok) or heavy bottomed pan, add a 1 tbsp of Indian sesame oil and caramelize the chopped onions until golden brown.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté until the tomatoes become mushy. Add the ginger, garlic, and cilantro and sauté for two minutes. Let it cool, and then pulverize to a smooth paste using a little water.
- Add the onion-tomato paste back into the kadai. Add the crab, chili powder, and the strained tamarind water. Add enough water to submerge the crabs. Let it cook for 15 minutes by covering the kadai with a lid.
- Add the seafood curry powder and fenugreek leaves. Adjust the salt and curry powder to your desired spiciness. Cook for another 10 minutes and add the seasoning and garnish with chopped fenugreek leaves.
Notes
1.Discard the outer shell if you are not using it for presentation. Crab meat does not take a long time to cook through. So do not over cook the meat.
2.Coconut milk is optional. You could add some light coconut milk if you want a richer curry.
Nutrition
Calories: 98kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 4gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 603mgPotassium: 345mgFiber: 5gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 343IUVitamin C: 31mgCalcium: 122mgIron: 3mg
