Crab Curry

HERE'S the recipe for crab curry that I had promised to post some months ago in my blogpost Crabby Tales.(See under Label: Crab)

It turns out really good, is not too spicy, yet delicious because of the aromatic masala combined with the salty smells and flavours of the sea that the crab brings with it. It is best served with rice - red boiled rice or white rice.

Crab Curry (Pic by June Carvalho)

What you need:
6 blue crabs (or 1 kg)
8 Kashmiri chillies
2 tbsps coriander seeds
10 peppercorns
1" piece of cinnamon
3 cloves
1 cardamom
1/2 a coconut, grated
1" ginger
2 tomatoes
5 cloves garlic
2 onions , chopped
2 green chillis, slit lengthwise
2 sprigs curry leaves
2-3 tbsps oil
Salt to taste
Water as required
Cut all the rinsed and cleaned crabs down the centre into two.
Broil the red chillis, coriander and the dry spices lightly till fragrant. Separately roast the grated coconut till light brown. Grind all this together, adding a little water, along with the tomatoes, ginger and garlic till you obtain a fine paste.
Heat the oil and fry the curry leaves, onions and chillis. Now add the ground paste and fry well till the oil separates. Add water to make a medium thick gravy. Add salt to taste.
Bring the masala to a boil and drop the crab into it. Boil a little more till the crab is cooked. Serve over rice.