Recipes

01.

Jaffna Crab Curry

Ingredients

  • 2 live mud crabs
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper corns, ground
  • 1 golf ball-sized piece tamarind pulp
  • 400ml coconut milk
  • 50g ghee
  • 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 red onion, sliced
  • 1 sprig curry leaves, leaves picked
  • 3 small green chillies, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Jaffna curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon red chilli powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 500ml water
  • drumstick leaves
  • ½ lime, juiced

  • salt, to taste

  • coriander leaves, to garnish

Preparation

  • Put the crabs in the freezer for 1 hour to immobilise them or in a bucket of iced water for 15 minutes.
  • Pull off the top shells, pull out the spongy grey gills and remove the guts. Chop the crab into 6 pieces and crack the large claws but leave them attached.
  • In a dry frying pan over medium heat, toast the cumin seeds, coconut and pepper until the coconut is golden. Grind to a smooth paste using a large mortar and pestle or in a blender and set aside.
  • Combine the tamarind and coconut milk in a small bowl and mix until it forms a thick paste. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, extracting as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Set aside until ready to use.
  • Heat the ghee in a large heavy-based saucepan over high heat, add the mustard seeds and cook until they start to pop, then add the fennel seeds and cook until they are lightly toasted. Add the onion, curry leaves and chilli and cook for a few minutes or until the onion is golden
  • Add the curry powder, chilli powder and turmeric and mix in. Add the crab and cook for 3 minutes. At this stage you need to stir it a lot so the spices don’t burn. Add the coconut paste, stir and add the water. If the curry is too dry, add more water.
  • Cover and simmer for 12 minutes or until the crab is just cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
  • Add the tamarind liquid, stir through and bring back to the boil.
  • Remove from the heat, stir in the drumstick leaves and lime juice and season with salt. Garnish with the coriander to serve.
02.

Sri Lankan Crab Curry

Ingredients

  • 800 gm crab meat
  • 1 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon powdered fenugreek seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 tablespoon grated coconut
  • 2 tablespoon sunflower oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 shallots (small onions)
  • 1/2 inch ginger
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1/4 pounds powdered cinnamon
  • 5 stalks curry leaves

Preparation

  • To make this flavourful curry recipe, start by cutting the crabs into half down the center into 2 pieces. Discard the lungs, fibrous tissues and shells of the crabs.
  • Separate the claws and lightly crack them.
  • Heat oil in a pan over medium flame. Saute the ground masala paste for 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Add the coconut milk, salt and lime juice. Cook for 10 minutes.
  • Add the grated and roasted coconut and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Now add the crabs and curry leaves.
  • Cook for 5 to 8 minutes until the crabs are cooked and gravy is thick. Stir occasionally.
  • Serve hot with rice.
03.

Singapore Chilie Crab

Ingredients

  • 1 mud crab
  • 3 shallots
  • ginger, 1 in (2.5 cm)
  • 3 long red chillies
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon shrimp paste, belacan
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 ½ cups chicken stock (360 mL)
  • 1 ½ cups tomato puree (335 g)
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • ½ cup sweet chili sauce (120 g)
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons palm sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 spring onion
  • ½ cup butter (50 g)
  • 1 bunch coriander for garnishing

Preparation

  • Removing the base flap, then pull off the head and clear out the cavity. Keep the head in a bowl. Remove the gills
  • Cut the crab in half down the middle and divide into six parts.
  • Crack the crab legs open to allow the flavors to enhance while cooking.
  • Add to the bowl with the head then set aside.
  • Make a paste of shallots, ginger, red chilies, garlic, ketchup, and shrimp paste, then pulse until it comes together and forms a paste.
  • Heat oil in a wok over medium heat, then once it comes up to temperature fry add the chili paste and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the crab pieces into the wok and stir until they are fully coated. Give the crab time to start turning orange, approximately 5 minutes.
  • Add the tomato puree, chicken stock, rice wine vinegar, sweet chili sauce, soy sauce and palm sugar, then stir until completely mixed.
  • The crab should be fully orange by now. Add a lid on top and allow the mixture to simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Remove the crab legs and head, and plate up on a shallow dish.
  • Add butter, spring onions, and egg.
  • Let the egg sit for a minute before stirring, then give the sauce a quick stir.
  • The sauce should thicken up quickly.
  • Pour the sauce on top of the crab and garnish with a few sprigs of coriander.
04.

Ginger & Scallion Crab

Ingredients

  • 1 crab, about 1 1/2 – 2 pounds (0.6 kg-1 kg)
  • 2 inches ginger, peeled and sliced into 10-12 pieces
  • 3 stalks scallion, cut into 2-inch length (5 cm)
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch for frying
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
    oil for deep frying
    SAUCE:
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 2 dashes white pepper powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 6 tablespoons water
  • 3/4 teaspoon corn starch
  • 1/8 teaspoon fish sauce

Preparation

  • Mix the sauce and set aside.
  • Clean the crab and cut into pieces. Pat dry with paper towels and put into a big bowl. Add the corn flour to the bowl and lightly coat the crab pieces with it. Heat up a wok and add cooking oil. When the oil is heated, drop the crab pieces and deep fry. As soon as they turn red, dish out, strain the excess oil and set aside.
  • Heat up a wok and add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Add the ginger and stir-fry until aromatic. Put the crab pieces into the wok and quickly stir a few times before adding the sauce. Add the chopped scallions, toss the crab in the wok a few times until well coated with the sauce, dish out and serve immediately.
05.

Asian Crab

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 pound mud crab, in shell
  • 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 1 tablespoon chile hot sauce (recommended: Sriracha)
  • 3 tablespoons black bean garlic paste
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
  • 2 tablespoons green onions, sliced
  • In a large wok, heat canola oil over medium-high heat.

Preparation

  • Crack crab shells in multiple areas to allow sauce to enter shell without crab shells falling apart.
  • Add crab to oil and quickly saute for 1 to 3 minutes until crab is hot. Remove crab and drain oil.
  • Add hoisin, chile hot sauce, black bean paste, and white wine and heat until bubbling. Add crab, toss for 30 seconds. Add sesame oil, and toss for 15 seconds.
  • Remove to plate and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
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