Crab Masala
Ancho (Ahn-cho) Chile (Capsicum Annum) means Wide Chile Pepper. This chile ranges from 3 – 4 on a heat scale of 1 to 10. An Ancho is the dried form of a Poblano Pepper and often is mislabeled as a Pasilla or Mulato Pepper. Anchos have sweet fruity flavor with hints of cherry, prune, and fig. Anchos, combined with the Pasilla and Guajillo, form the Holy Trinity of chiles used to prepare the traditional mole sauces. Scoville heat units are 1,000 to 3,000.
Ingredients:
For marinating the crabs:
1 tsp red chile powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 crabs
For the curry:
1 cup grated coconut
1 medium sized onion
1 medium sized tomato
5 garlic pods
1 tsp coriander/dhaniya seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek/methi seeds
5 peppercorns/kali mirch
2 cloves/laung
3 dry red chiles
1 inch piece of tamarind
1 tsp garam masala
Salt to taste
Procedure:
Break the crab into 2 pieces. Break the claws.
Wash the crabs and marinate with the masala meant for marination and keep aside for 30 minutes.
For the curry:
In a kadai/wok,fry chopped onions and when they turn pinkish, add the dry masala consisting of coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, peppercorns and cloves and roast for 5 Min’s on low heat.
Add garlic and fry till the raw smell of garlic goes away.
Add grated coconut and fry till the grated coconut becomes brownish.
Add tamarind and switch off the gas.
After cooling, grind this by adding 1 cup or sufficient water needed to grind it into a gravy.
Now the kadai/wok will be empty as the contents have been ground.
In the same empty kadai, fry chopped onions and when they turn pinkish add chopped tomato and saute till tomatoes turn mushy.
Add the marinated crabs and fry for sometime(2-3 minutes).
Pour the ground masala curry over the crabs onion and tomato mixture and mix the gravy well with the crabs.
Let the crabs get cooked nicely for 20 Min’s into the gravy.
Adjust salt and switch off the heat.
From rakshaskitchen.com