Crab Curry ( Kankada Tarkari)

Being from Orissa sea food is what we do. My family from mom's side comes from the coastal city of Paradeep where sea food is abundantly available and enjoyed. So I can safely say we know our fish, shrimps and crabs.

Eating crab takes lot of time and effort, but as a family we would sit down for lunch with our crabs and eat it for hours. That time used to be the best part of a vacation, enjoying our food, teasing each other, eavesdropping on what adults are talking about and ignoring heat and sweat. Those were real good days. 

Back then my mom would kill and clean the crabs by herself, and thats how it is ideally done. But me being me decided to go the easy way out. I got precooked crab legs from Costco and made the curry and it is not half bad. 

Ingredients:
  1. Crab : 5 legs ( if you prefer to prepare your own crab use 2 whole crabs)
  2. Potato: 2 medium peeled and cut into wedges
  3. Onion: 1 medium finely chopped
  4. Ginger garlic Paste: 3 tsp
  5. Coriander Powder: 1 tsp
  6. Cumin Powder: 1 tsp
  7. Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp
  8. Red Chilli Powder: 1 tsp 
  9. Tomato: 1 large 
  10. Sugar : 1 tbsp
  11. Dry Bay Leave : 1
  12. Oil for cooking.
  13. Whole Cardamon : 4
  14. Whole Cinnamon : 1 inch
  15. Salt: as per taste
  16. Oil : for cooking about 2-3 tsp
Procedure:
Thaw the crab legs add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder to it.
In a pan heat 1 tsp of oil and fry the crab legs for couple of minutes. 
Remove from the heat and in the same pan fry the potato wedges till the potatoes are slightly golden.
In a heavy bottom pan heat 2 tsp oil. 
Add bay leaf and sugar to it and wait till it starts to turn brown but don't burn it. 
Add the chopped onion to the oil and add a pinch of salt to the onion. 
Cook till the onion is translucent. 
Add the red chill powder and fry for a minute or so just till the raw smell is gone. 
Add the ginger garlic paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, chopped tomatoes and salt to taste. 
Cover and cook stirring in between till the tomatoes are mushy.
Remove the lid and keep cooking the masala till the raw smell is gone and oil oozes out of it. 
At this point add the fried potatoes and cook it in the masala for another 2-3 minutes.
Add 2 cups of warm water to the masala and bring it to a boil.
As the water starts boiling add the crab legs and let it cook it with the cover till the potatoes are cooked through. 
Remove the lid and cook till the desired consistency is achieved.
Turn off the heat and let it cool down before adding the crushed cinnamon and cardamon and enjoy with steamed rice.


After all the festivities of wedding were over , it was me, Tanmaya, my MIL and DIL left and it was lunch time. MIL gave us the option of crab curry and meat curry. Without giving it a second thought I went for crab curry. I forgot it was not my grandfather's place but my in-law's :) When I came to my sense I realized that Tanmaya was done with his meal and my father-in-law smiling and appreciating that at least one of his DILs know how to eat crab LOL ......  
Till then Happy Blogging
Rakhee

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Chicken Biryani in Rice cooker

Green Papaya Curry

Aloo Bharta ( Orissa Style Mashed Potato)