Crab pepper fry

Cooking seafood on most of the days was a tradition in my house while growing up. While common fishes are cooked on weekdays, we reserve the exotics like crab, shrimp for the weekends, as they take more time to devour:)  Here is what I made using crab and pepper....the crab pepper fry. I am sure I coined this recipe all by myself and I love it very much. This has a thick curry like finish, a Chettinadu crab curry touch and tastes very delicious with plain white rice and curd rice. I fried some king fish pieces and a fish curry for my hubby.

The Chesapeake blue crab or Atlantic blue crab, or simply blue crab of USA tastes similar to the native Indian smaller crabs. So choose some smaller soft shell crab for Indian version of crabs. But any crab (king crab too) works good:)
Do you know why all the crabs, shrimps and lobsters turn to red color while cooking? If interested read the chemical reactions behind and appreciate the beauty of cooking:) Love this reasoning:)
other names: Nandu milagu curry, nandu milagu varuval, crab pepper fry, Indian crab curry.
If you are looking for a newer crab recipe, then try this and enjoy!

Have a crab as appetizer as soon as it is cooked....my recommendation:)

Crab pepper fry with rice and fried king fish.

Have another look at my crab fry...flipped side :)

Ingredients:
Small crab - 6

To grind:
Coconut - 1/2 cup
black pepper - 2 tbsp
cumin - 1 tsp
shallot - 4
To mince:
garlic - 1 whole
Others:
fennel - 1 tsp
oil - 2 tbsp
red onion - 1
curry leaf - few sprigs
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
garam masala powder - 1tbsp
coriander powder - 3 tsp
green chillies - 4
tomato puree - 1/2 cup
salt - to taste

How to clean the crab:
Wash the crabs twice or thrice till there is no impurities.
Open the shell in stomach side (opens like a pocket with button) and discard that shell (retain other shells surrounding the meat).
Do this for all the crabs, keep them in water , squeeze and remove the yellow and green portions from stomach.
Keep the legs intact.
If cooking the long king crab legs, then gently break it at joints and cut the longest limb into two (helps the masala to penetrate better). This step is not necessary for soft crabs.

Method:
Take a  wide huge thick bottom vessel.
Heat oil , add fennel and let it get red.
Then add the finely chopped onion and fry till it gets red.
Then add the minced garlic and fry for a few seconds.
Grind the items given to a fine paste with little water.
Now put the masala, tomato puree, turmeric powder, salt, garam masala, slit green chilly, coriander powder along with cleaned crab in to the vessel.
Close tightly, cook in medium flame and stir every 3 minutes.
After few minutes the crabs will turn red color while cooking, reduce flame.
Cook for 15 minutes or till the curry gets thicker.
Add fresh curry leaves, chopped cilantro and switch off.
If needed sprinkle few drops of lemon.
Crab pepper fry is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve as side dish / main curry over plain rice.
Tastes great with curd rice.
Makes a starter dish too.