Crab Curry Recipe - Goan Crab Curry | Hank Shaw (2024)

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4.82 from 11 votes

By Hank Shaw

January 25, 2018 | Updated June 16, 2020

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Crab Curry Recipe - Goan Crab Curry | Hank Shaw (2)

When life gives you crabs, sometimes you need to do something other than make crab cakes or just eat the meat with a little drawn butter, right? How about crab curry?

Years ago, one of the readers of this site suggested I make crab curry, and, casting about for a good version, I settled on the one from Goa, in western India. Goan food is a combination of Indian and Portuguese, and it is one of the more exciting places to go, culinarily speaking.

This curry is so good I’ve been making it ever since, with Dungeness crab mostly, but also red and rock crabs, snow crab legs, and blue crabs, too. I imagine any crab meat you have on hand will work.

This is a from-scratch curry — no premade curry powders — and while it looks complicated, it’s not. Just have everything laid out before you start and you can have this curry done in less than 45 minutes. It is pretty similar to a fish curry I make, so if you have fish, use that recipe.

You do need the tamarind in the recipe, however, as it is a defining feature of Goan curries; you can get tamarind paste in both Asian and Latin markets, and you can buy tamarind pasteCrab Curry Recipe - Goan Crab Curry | Hank Shaw (3) online.

How spicy is this? Pretty spicy, although the chile heat can be adjusted depending on how many you put in the curry. I like it hot, so I put in 4 to 5 serranos, but you may want to use less.

Finally, if you don’t have lots of crab around, there is no reason on earth not to do this curry with shrimp, lobster, a firm fish, or even chicken or pheasant. It’ll be good with all of them.

4.82 from 11 votes

Goan Crab Curry

I have used Dungeness and snow crab for this curry, but any sort of crab will work. No crab? Use shrimp, lobster or a firm fish. Serve with steamed basmati rice. The tamarind paste is the only hard ingredient to find, and it's always in either Latin or Asian markets, and you can buy it on Amazon.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 4 people

Author: Hank Shaw

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound crabmeat
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 6 cloves
  • 8 cardamom pods, or 1 teaspoon ground
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons fenugreek (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or clarified butter
  • 2 medium onions, 1 chopped fine and 1 sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2-3 small fresh chiles, such as serrano or Thai, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 14- ounce can of coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup grated coconut, fresh, if possible
  • 1 heaping tablespoon tamarind paste
  • Salt
  • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

  • Make thecurry mix by toasting the coriander, peppercorns, cloves and cardamom pods in a dry skillet until they are fragrant and the coriander just starts popping. Take off the heat and let cool a minute or two and then grind fine in a mortar or spice grinder. Mix well with the turmeric, cumin and fenugreek.

  • Saute the chopped onion, the ginger, and the chiles in the same pan with the oil or butter until soft. Do not brown. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  • Take the onion mixture off the heat and put it into a blender. Add the curry spice mix to it, then about 1/4 cup of water. Blend into a puree.

  • Pour the coconut milk into a pot and heat it over medium-high heat until it simmers. Add the sliced onion and grated coconut and let this cook for 3-4 minutes at an active simmer.

  • Add the curry from the blender and mix well, then add the tamarind paste and mix again. Taste for salt and add some if needed.

  • Mix in the crab and cook until just heated, maybe 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and serve over rice.

Notes

NOTE: If you use ground versions of the spices, don't toast them.

Nutrition

Calories: 436kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 973mg | Potassium: 751mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 149IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @huntgathercook or tag #hankshaw!

Categorized as:
Asian, Featured, Fish, Recipe

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About Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet’s largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

Read More About Me

Crab Curry Recipe - Goan Crab Curry | Hank Shaw (2024)

FAQs

What is crab curry made of? ›

It is cooked using ingredients like grated coconut to add a rich texture, cumin seeds, turmeric, Kashmiri chillies, curry leaves, crabs, and an amalgamation of other ingredients for a mouth-watering delicacy.

What is the history of crab curry? ›

Kakuluwo curry, also known as Jaffna crab curry, is a traditional spicy Sri Lankan crab curry. The dish originated in the northern regions of Sri Lanka but is popular around the country, mostly in the seaboard areas where fish and other seafood are staple foods.

How to make black crab? ›

Instructions
  1. Boil a large pot of water over high heat; add crabs and boil 5 minutes. Remove and cool. ...
  2. Heat oil in a wok or a large skillet over high heat. Sauté crab pieces 2 minutes. ...
  3. Turn down heat to medium; add garlic, ginger, and chiles. ...
  4. Add pepper and return crab to wok; stir until coated with sauce.

How to cook plain crab meat? ›

To steam crab meat on the stove, place a steaming basket in a pot filled with about an inch of water. Bring the water to a boil, then place the crab meat in the basket. Cover the pot and steam for about 5-7 minutes, or until the crab meat is cooked through.

Is crab curry good for health? ›

Eating a lot of crab meat can actually improve your heart health. Crab is a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and protein, all of which help lower cholesterol. Lowering your cholesterol levels helps reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks.

What is the oldest curry in the world? ›

We were shocked, too, when we saw Chef Kunal Kapoor's video on the theme in which he informed that through a method called starch analysis, archaeologists identified the world's first-known or oldest curry — baingan curry — made up of aubergine, ginger and turmeric from the shard of a bulbous handi (pot).

What ethnicity invented curry? ›

curry, (from Tamil kari: “sauce”), in Western usage, a dish composed with a sauce or gravy seasoned with a mixture of ground spices that is thought to have originated in India and has since spread to many regions of the world.

What is the world's oldest known curry? ›

The remnants included ingredients such as brinjal, mango, turmeric, ginger, garlic, sesame, and more. Interestingly, rice played a minor role in their diet, with a preference for healthy and climate-resistant millets. This makes the brinjal-mango curry the oldest known curry to mankind.

Why did my crab turn black after cooking? ›

Meat with mushy texture originates from soft-shelled crabs, a problem which can easily be rectified by culling. Black discolouration on the other hand, is likely caused by the enzymatic oxidation of polyhydroxy- phenyl and aminophenyl compounds in the tissues.

Why did my crab turn black? ›

Crab blood can turn blue/black soon after being cooked if not at a full boil long enough, first in body meat and follows veins down into leg meat. The blue comes from hemocyanin, a copper-containing protein that transports oxygen in the blood.

Why is there black stuff on my crab? ›

The disease has been observed on a variety of crustacean species including crabs, lobster, and shrimp. This discoloration, black spots on the carapace, chelae, or legs, is the result of melanisation; a defense response to the deterioration of the cuticle.

Should you boil crab before cooking? ›

Prepping The Crabs

If you're choosing crabs from a tank or cooler, look for feisty specimens. You'll want to cook the crabs before you clean them. Boiling is more common, but steaming crabs emerge from the pot less water-logged and more filled with their own crabby juices.

Which cooking method is best for crab? ›

One of the most popular ways to cook a crab, especially in Maryland and along the eastern shore, steaming provides an even and gentle cook for the delicate meat. The extreme heat caused by the method brings exquisite flavor into it without as much of a threat of overcooking.

What kind of meat is crab meat? ›

Crab meat is the meat found inside the body of a crab. It is typically white or off-white in color, and has a delicate, sweet, and slightly briny flavor. The meat of a crab can be found in the legs and claws, as well as in the body of the crab.

What is the difference between Indian curry and Caribbean curry? ›

The greatest difference between the two spice mixes comes into play when examining heat levels. Indian curry powders tend to have more chile powder in them while Jamaican curry powder. Some commercial versions may have a bit of cayenne pepper in them, but most recipes usually omit that spice.

What is curry and what does it taste like? ›

Curry is often described as a dish that is earthy, spicy, warming, or even sometimes sweet. It is a well-balanced, richly spiced dish with notes of deep savory flavors from turmeric, coriander, cumin, bay leaf, cinnamon, and cloves, just to name a few.

What is the yellow stuff in a cooked crab? ›

mustard Yellow substance found inside a cooked crab. Contrary to popular belief, the "mustard" is not fat, rather it's the crab's hepatopancreas, the organ responsible for filtering impurities from the crab's blood.

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