Indian Crab Curry Recipe

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Total: 50 mins

Servings: 4 servings

93 ratings

Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
552	Calories
15g	Fat
60g	Carbs
50g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	552
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g	19%
Saturated Fat 10g	48%
Cholesterol 151mg	50%
Sodium 1972mg	86%
Total Carbohydrate 60g	22%
Dietary Fiber 12g	43%
Protein 50g
Calcium 327mg	25%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This recipe for Indian crab curry minimizes the curry flavor so that the crab is the focus of the dish. Try serving this curry with plain boiled rice and plenty of gravy. Crab curry is best eaten with your fingers.

The curry can get quite hot; to reduce the spice don't add all of the red chile peppers. To lighten the dish, reduce the amount of water used for the gravy.

8 whole crabs (cooked)
1 1/2-inch piece tamarind
1/2 cup hot water
2 large onions (sliced)
2 large tomatoes (sliced)
10 dried red chilies (or fewer to taste)
2 tablespoons garlic paste
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 1/2 cups grated coconut
2 tablespoons coriander powder
2 tablespoons cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
2 green chilies (slit)
2 tablespoons cooking oil (vegetable, canola, or sunflower)
3 cups hot water (more or less for desired gravy)
Salt (to taste)
Serving suggestion: cooked rice

Gather the ingredients.

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Remove the crab legs and set them aside. Remove the claws from the legs so that each leg is divided into two parts.

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Using a cleaver, cut the crab bodies into halves or quarters. Set aside.

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In a small bowl, soak the tamarind in 1/2 cup of hot water for 10 minutes.

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Mash the tamarind with your fingers to mix it well into the water.
Strain the tamarind through a sieve to extract all of the pulp. Set the purée aside.

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In a food processor, add the onion, tomato, dried red chilies, garlic and ginger pastes, coconut, all of the spices—coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, and red chili powder—, and tamarind pureé.

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Grind the mixture well to make a smooth paste (also called masala).
Set a deep, heavy-bottomed pan over a medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the cooking oil and heat the oil.

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Add the green chilies and the masala paste to the oil and sauté for 5 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent burning.

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Add 3 cups of hot water—use more or less depending on how much gravy you'd like—and bring the gravy to a boil.

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Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Gently add the pieces of crab to the gravy and cook uncovered for 10 more minutes. Remove from the heat.

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Serve immediately with plain boiled rice or jeera rice. Enjoy.

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