Amma's Spicy Crab Masala

Amma's Recipe #19

Nearly a month since my last post. I have been busy or what! Little A has been keeping very busy lately and thankfully I have some dishes lined up for you that were prepared by my mom during my last visit. 

SPICY CRAB MASALA.....oh I love crab. I still don't know to break the shell but that my dad or my bro takes care of it and you can finding me sitting next to a heap of emptied crab shell and still wanting for more. I have never cooked this dish, infact I don't even attempt to cook many of my mum's dishes. I like it only when she cooks them. This crab masala is so spicy and fab. Its got green chillies, red chilli powder and peppercorns so you better watch out while adding the spices please adjust according to your liking. The masala compliments with plain rice, curd rice, roti, Idly / Dosa, Appam or idiyappam.

You Will Need:

A Kilo of Crab, Washes & Cleaned

3 large Onions, Sliced

1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds

4 large tomatoes, Chopped

4 Green Chillies, Slit

2 tsp Ginger garlic paste

1 1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder

1/2 Cup Grated Coconut, Grind this to a fine paste

150ml Oil

Salt to taste

For the masala:

1 large onion

4 green chillies

1 tbsp Peppercorns

1 tbsp Cumin

1 tsp Fennel

Few Curry Leaves 

Few Coriander Leaves

The Cooking:

Place all the ingredients for masala in a blender and grind it to a fine paste. 

Heat oil in a large kadai and crackle fennel seeds followed by the sliced onions. Saute on high till the onions are very light brown in colour. Then add the chopped tomatoes, green chillies and ginger garlic paste. Cook for few mins till the raw flavours of ginger garlic paste are cooked off. Then add the crab followed by the ground masala and cook for 10 mins mixing everything together. 

Now add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Pour in 2 cups of water and mix well cooking it for another 10 mins. Then add the ground coconut and cook covered for 15 - 20 mins. Sprinkle some fresh curry leaves and coriander leaves and simmer for another 5 mins till the gravy thickens and the crab is cooked. 

Happy Cooking!