crab curry (peethala kura)

Ingredients:

Blue crab – 2 lb / 4 nos. (cleaned)
Shallots – 10 nos. (grounded)
Tomato – 1 no. (grounded)
Ginger, garlic & green chili paste – 1 1/2 tbsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Freshly grounded pepper – 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Grind into Paste;

Fresh Coconut chopped – 1/2 cup
Fennel seeds / sombu – 1 1/2 tsp
Black Pepper – 1 tsp

Tempering;

Oil – 1 1/2 tbsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Jeera / cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Shallots / small onion – 1/2 cup chopped
Garlic – 3 – 5 nos (sliced)

Method:

• First ground the onion, tomato individually & keep aside.
• Keep the kadai on low flame, add oil & temper mustard & cumin seeds.
• Now add very finely sliced garlic, shallots & saute it for 2 minutes.
• Add the grounded shallots & saute it for 2 more minutes.
• After that add the ginger garlic chili paste & cook until raw flavor goes off.
• Now add the spices like turmeric, red chili, coriander powder & cook it by adding little water to the mixture (helps to not get burn the spices).
• Once the spices get cooked, now add the tomato puree & saute it for a minute.
• Add 1 cup of water & cook the mixture for 15 minutes with lid on (mean time, clean the crab).
• Now add the cleaned crabs, cover it with lid & cook it for 10 minutes.
• Now finely add the grounded coconut mixture to the curry, mix it well & cook it for 5 – 6 minutes.
• Garnish with fried curry leaves & freshly grounded black pepper.
• Serve it hot with cooked rice & enjoy !!!

Hints;

• After cleaning the crabs, don’t let them stay long time on the counter top, it may looses it’s flavor & taste. So always clean the crab right before adding in to the curry.
• Adding lots of pepper to the crab curry helps to clear throat infection, good digestion & helps to maintain the body temperature.

How to Clean the Crab? 

• Remove the shell from back of the crab.
• Clean & remove all intestinal parts.
• Cut it into half for cooking.