Kerala crab curry. What a better way to enjoy seafood than with this flavor packed crab curry? Simmered in a delectable spicy and tangy sauce, this old-fashioned recipe featuring the tender crab is guaranteed to be a winner.
As you know, seafood is packed with all the vital nutrients that are totally good for your health. Add a couple of seafood meals to your weekly menu and you’ve got yourself a doctor approved diet. Brilliant! So, why not explore the incredible benefits of seafood with a deliciously new recipe?
Now, there are endless ways to create the perfect crab dish. And this Kerala crab curry is one among them. Obviously, it’s one of my favorite ways to cook crab. Succulent crab meat cooked in a flavorful sauce is totally irresistible. Mouth watering and loaded with southern Indian flavors, this tastes beyond amazing.
The recipe starts with cleaning the crab. For starters, it’s a super slow process. But, if you’re familiar with cleaning crab, you know how easy it is. I followed these simple and easy instructions to clean the crabs for my Kerala crab curry.
The sauce for this crab curry is a simple tangy mixture of your favorite spices used in everyday cooking. To make the sauce rich and thick, I’ve also added coconut paste. The flavorful combo of coconut and spices make the sauce irresistibly delicious. Easy!
The unique tangy flavor from coccum make this Kerala crab curry so special. Dried coccum is easily available from Indian grocery stores. They have a very distinct smokey aroma and flavor that makes it different from tamarind.
As the crab simmers slowly in the sauce, it absorbs the tangy spicy flavors making this curry utterly delicious.The tempered spices add that extra special final touch to the curry.
Now, all you need is some parathas to soak up the extra delicious sauce. Well, you can never go wrong with a good curry- paratha-rice combo. Yum!
More classic Kerala style seafood recipes:
- Red Fish Curry (Meen Mulakittathu)
- Fish Cooked in Banana Leaf (Meen Pollichathu)
- Prawn Mango Curry (Chemmeen Manga Curry)
- Fish in Roasted Coconut Sauce (Varutharacha Meen Curry)
- Malabar Fish Roast
- Kerala Fish Stew (Fish Molee)
- Fish Masala
- Fish Cutlet (Fish Cakes)
- Fish Pickle
- Fried Prawn
Ingredients
Coconut paste:
- 2 tablespoon grated coconut
- 2 shallots chopped
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
Crab curry:
- 1 tablespoon oil coconut oil preferred
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 10 shallots chopped
- 1 sprig of curry leaves
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and chopped
- 1 inch fresh ginger peeled and chopped
- 1 green chili slit
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander coriander powder
- 2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 3 coccum soaked in ¼ cup (62.5 ml) water
- 2 tablespoon chopped coriander cilantro leaves
- 3 large crabs cleaned
- 1 cup water
- Salt to taste
Tempered spices:
- 1 tablespoon oil coconut oil preferred
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 tablespoon chopped shallots
- 2 dried red chilies
- 1 sprig of curry leaves
Instructions
Coconut paste:
- Place grated coconut, shallots, ground turmeric, ground coriander, red chili powder and black peppercorns in a food processor. Add a little water and grind to a smooth paste. Set aside.
Crab curry:
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. add fenugreek seeds and allow to crackle. add shallots and curry leaves. Saute, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes or until shallots are browned. Add garlic, ginger and green chilies. Saute, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add ground turmeric, ground coriander, garam masala and red chili powder. Saute, stirring, for 1 minute or until the raw smell disappears. add tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until they turn mushy. Add coconut paste, coriander leaves, soaked coccum with water, cleaned crab pieces and 1 cup water. Season with salt. Stir to combine. Cook, covered, for 6-8 minutes.
Tempered spices:
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds and allow to crackle. add shallots, dried red chilies and curry leaves. Saute, stirring, for 1 minute or until shallots are browned.
- Add tempered spices to the crab curry. Stir to combine.
Video
Nutrition
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Karly says
So much flavor! Thanks for sharing!
Jacky says
WOW! what a great way to eat crabs. I am a great fan of your blog and I love all of your recipes.
Prafulla says
Superb...I made it today... delicious taste...Thank you for your recipe.