Soft-Shell Crab with Fresh Thai Green Curry

This chile pepper gets its name from its origin. In Spanish, serrano is an adjective meaning “from the mountains” which is where it originated-in the mountains of Hildalgo, Mexico. The serrano is normally about twice as hot as Jalapeno (about 10,000 to 15,000 Scoville units). It is the second most popular chile pepper in Mexico. This chile is used mostly for salsas but can also be used in soups, sauces, chili or stews. Try these as a hotter substitute for Jalapeno.

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Ingredients:

Curry:

2 cups fresh cilantro sprigs
1/2 cup coarsely chopped shallots
1 Tbsp. grated lime rind
8-12 serrano chiles, seeded
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 (3″) piece ginger, peeled
1-1/2 cups (1″) cubed Japanese eggplant
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup diagonally cut carrot
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 (13-1/2 oz.) can light coconut milk
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. salt

Crabs:

1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
6 (5-6 oz.) soft-shell crabs, cleaned
4 tsp. vegetable oil, divided
3 cups hot cooked jasmine rice

Instructions:

To prepare curry:

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a food processor and process for 3 minutes or until a paste forms.

Heat a teaspoon of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chile mixture and saute for 3 minutes. Add the bell pepper and the next 5 ingredients (bell pepper through coconut milk); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and 1 tsp. of salt, and keep warm.

To prepare crabs:

Combine the cornstarch and 1/4 tsp. of salt in a shallow dish. Dredge the crabs in cornstarch mixture.

Heat 2 tsp. of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place 3 crabs in the pan, top sides down, and cook for 3 minutes, gently pressing the body and legs against the pan. Turn the crabs and cook for 2 minutes. When cooking softshells, take the fine point of a knife or the tine from a fork and gently pierce the the claws or they will explode on you because of the excess moisture inside. Remove the crabs from the heat. Repeat the procedure with the remaining oil and crabs.

Place 1/2 cup of jasmine rice into each of 6 shallow bowls and spoon 3/4 of a cup of the curry mixture over each serving. Top each serving with 1 crab and garnish with lime wedges and cilantro sprigs.

Yields 6 servings.

Recipe from Lorrie Hulston Corvin, “Cooking Light Magazine” April 2003.