Crab recipes are always a delicacy. The crab meat is so tasty that I think any recipe made with it as a main ingredient is sure to turn out a huge success. Here is a traditional Goan recipe using crabs. As with most goan recipes this one also involves coconut ?
Tonak is a very popular dish in the Goan cuisine in which the legumes, veggies or sea food like crabs, prawns or clams are cooked in a coconut based gravy. You can refer to Alsanyache Tonak (red cow peas curry) or Mixed Veggies Tonak for the vegetarian varieties.
Ingredients:
Crabs : 5-6 (cleaned and made into two)
Scrapped Coconut : 1 cup
Coriander Seeds : 3 tsp
Kashmiri Red Chilli : 2
Cloves : 3
Cinnamon : 1 inch
Peppercorns : 10-12
Mace : 1 small piece (around 1 cm) (refer pic below)
Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp
Tamarind : Marble size ball
Oil : 2 tbsp
Onion : 2 (large) (one cut vertically and one finely chopped)
Potato : 1 (cut into cubes) (optional)
Salt to taste
Method of Preparation:
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the Coriander Seeds, Chillies, Cloves, Pepper corns and cinnamon for 2-3 minutes. Remove and keep aside.
- Add 1 tbsp oil in same pan and add the onion and fry till the onion turns translucent.
- Add the scrapped coconut and stir till golden brown. Remove from heat and keep aside till it comes to room temperature.
- Grind together the spices and the coconut onion mix along with the tamarind and turmeric powder. Add around 1/2 cup of water intermittently while grinding to have a smooth paste.
- In a pan add the finely chopped onion, crabs and around 1/2 cup water and cover cooked. In around 3-4 minutes add the potatoes and close the lid and cover cooked till the onions and crabs are boiled. (Before cooking the crab meet is more on translucent side. You know it is cooked when the crab meat appears white.)
- Add the ground paste and salt and mix well. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes and your delicious Crab Masala is ready.
You can have it with rice, chapati or bread. It tastes awesome with just bout anything. ?
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