This dish is a winner. The Crabs are cooked in a traditional Goan/Mangalorean masala. Every household has their own versions so it would be very naive to say this recipe is authentic. No recipe is authentic for that matter as it is passed down from generation to generation. And along the way ingredients and quantities are tweaked to suit one's palate. For those who asked for the recipe, my Mother made this after rummaging through several similar traditional recipes. The final outcome is heavenly bliss.
Method:
5 large Sea Crabs (cleaned and cut into pieces)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 cups of freshly grated coconut
1 large onion, sliced
6 whole red kashmiri chillies
4 bedgi chillies
6 cloves of garlic
About 2 inches ginger
Marble sized ball of tamarind(soaked in 1/4th cup water)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
Oil to sauté
Salt (to taste)
For the Tadka
1 tsp mustard seeds
Oil to sauté
2 sprigs curry leaves
1 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)
***
Juice: Separately boil the THIN legs of the crabs in half cup water. Cool and grind in the mixer to a paste. Strain and keep aside this “Juice”
Method:
- Clean and cut crabs.
- Sprinkle salt and keep this aside for half an hour.
- Throw in the following in a mixer grinder. Kashmir & Bedgi Chillies + Cumin seeds + Ginger + Garlic + Coriander seeds + strained Tamarind water. Grind the above to a paste.
- Now add the Coconut and grind again. Remember we DON’T want a paste. We need it to be coarse and very grainy. That slight crunch when eating makes it enjoyable. Yay the masala is ready!
- Take a wide bottom pan. Keep the gas on a medium flame. Heat oil in the pan.
- Once hot add the sliced onion and fry till light brown and soft.
- Add the coarsely ground masala and sauté for two minutes or so till it turns a shade darker and that raw masala taste/smell disappears.
- Throw in the crabs and the “juice” stir with the masala (Make sure the masala is not watery but dry a.k.a Sukkha!
- Add salt to taste. Cover and cook for about 30 minutes.
- While that’s cooking on the side, get your tadka ingredients ready.
- Heat oil in a small utensil.
- Add mustard . Once it splutters add curry leaves.
- Now add this to your crab sukkha and garnish with coriander leaves.
I really hope it turns out as delicious as it did when my mother made it. May our Crab Blessings be with you. :)
