Curried crab
4 servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | pounds | Backfin lump crab meat |
| 1 | tablespoon | Butter or oil |
| 1 | large | Onion(s), finely chopped |
| (abt 1 1/2 cups) | ||
| 2 | Garlic clove(s), minced | |
| 2 | teaspoons | Ginger, minced |
| 2 | teaspoons | (to 3 tsp) curry powder |
| ½ | teaspoon | Thyme, fresh or dried |
| 1½ | cup | Coconut milk |
| Salt and pepper | ||
| 2 | tablespoons | Cilantro |
| Or flat-leaf parsley | ||
| Finely chopped | ||
Directions
Pick through the crab meat, removing any pieces if cartilage or shell.
Melt the butter in a large saute pan. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook over medium-low heat until soft but not brown, 5-7 min. Add the curry powder and thyme and saute for 1 min. Stir in the coconut milk, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3-5 min, or until well flavored and slightly thickened.
Stir in the crab meat and gently simmer for 5 min, adding salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the dumplings and cook until thoroughly heated (I didn't include the recipe). Sprinkle with parsley or cilantro and serve.
Notes: This is one of the national dishes of Trinidad and Tobago. It's traditionally made with land crabs which are almost impossible to buy in the U.S. If you're using whole crabs, you'll need 4 large blue crabs or 2 Dungeness crabs.
If using blue crabs, boil them for 1 min. Remove the carapace, gills, and entrails and cut the crab bodies in half, leaving the legs attached.
If using Dungeness crabs, which are usually sold cooked, remove the carapace, gills and entrails, and cut the crab bodies in quarters, again with the legs intact.
Curried crab is usually served with dumplings.
The Caribbean Pantry Cookbook
by Steven Raichlen
ISBN 1-885183-10-0
pg 22
Submitted By DIANE LAZARUS On 12-13-95