Monsoon season is the perfect time for me to enjoy larger, meatier crabs. Not a rainy season passes without me cooking crabs, which are a favorite of my father and mine. I love grabbing crabs with my bare hands—it’s a crazy but enjoyable Sunday lunch tradition. A few vodka drinks make me ready to indulge in a spicy crab curry. I usually stick to my college journal recipe and prefer a spicy curry with rice, avoiding Tandoori Crabs or other styles. A traditional coastal Maharashtrian crab curry recipe has been my go-to for decades, and I swear it’s the most delicious spicy crab curry ever. Try it soon, as I gear up for another intense crab-eating session this coming Sunday. Until then, happy cooking!
Ingredients ( for 4 )
Crabs – 4
Tomatoes – 115 gm
Coconut – 100 gm
Sesame Oil – 30 ml
Tamarind – 10 gm
Salt – to taste
Kashmiri Chillies – 10 gm
Coriander – 10 gm
Turmeric – a pinch
Garlic – a few flakes
Cumin – a pinch
Ginger – 5 gm
Onions – 225 gm
Cinnamon – a small piece
Method:
1 ) Wash crabs, pull the top shell from the body.
2 ) Discard the stomach bag attached to the shell below the eyes.
3 ) Discard greyish-white matter ( dead man’s fingers ) and wash well.
4 ) Cut crab into four pieces and wash well. ( I prefer keeping the whole body intact )
5 ) Grind spices with coconut & onions into a fine paste.
6 ) Heat oil and fry spices well.
7 ) Add crabs and fry further.
8 ) Add chopped tomatoes and salt and cook on a slow fire.
9 ) When crab is cooked, add tamarind water ( soak tamarind in little water and squeeze pulp ) and cook for 20 minutes. Serve hot with rice.
