Crab Curry (Burmese Style)

I’ve been craving for crab curry for a long time now and finally got a chance to make it. My sister used to make super delicious crab curries for us in the past. She usually makes it either Burmese style as below or Indian style with different spices. We usually use smaller hard shell crabs back home; buy them alive and cook them fresh. Smaller ones are little more work because you have cut and clean them before cooking and once cooked, you have to know how to get the meat out. Of course it is still fun to dig in with both hands and enjoy. However, since I’m really bad with that, my sister usually take out all the meat for us to eat.

Personally for me, since I don’t dare nor have idea on how to cut and prepare the live crabs, I like to use the King crab legs that are already cooked. The other reason I like the King crab legs is because of their size. You get bigger chunk of meat and also easy to eat, even if you’re not an expert on eating crabs. Since I don’t live close to my sister, these are pretty good for now.

Crab Curry (Burmese Style)

Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 15 to 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
4 large cooked King crab legs, about 1 1/2 pounds
3 to 4 tablespoons oil
1 large onion – grind using food processor
2 large tomatoes – cut in big chunks
6 cloves garlic – cut in half
1 inch ginger – sliced
5 Thai chili or any green chili – roughly chopped (adjust to taste)
2 fresh Lemon Grass
Pinch of salt
6 Kaffir lime leaves (if available) – tear them with hand from middle
2 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
Fish sauce to taste
Few sprigs of cilantro – roughly chopped
Lime wedges to serve

Directions:

1. Cut the crab legs from joints to a manageable size. Pierce with knife in some parts of the shell so that flavor can go in.
2. With blender or food processor, grind tomato, garlic, ginger and green chili to a fine paste and keep aside.
3. Remove one or two outer layers of lemon grass and cut off few inches from skinny tip and discard. Smash the root ends with a handle of your knife to release flavor and cut it in half.
4. Heat oil in a large pan over low heat and add grind onion. Add a small pinch of salt and sauté the onions over low heat for about 10 to 15 minutes until they are cooked through and lightly golden.
5. Add chili powder and turmeric powder. Stir once and add the tomato mixture and cook for a minute.
6. Add Lemon grass, Kaffir lime leaves, and fish sauce to taste. Stir and cook covered for about 10 minutes on medium low heat.
7. Add Crab and cook covered for another 20 to 30 minutes, stirring few times in between.
8. Garnish with cilantro and cover the pot for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.
9. Serve with steam rice and wedges of lime to squeeze on top.

Note: Taste while adding fish sauce because too much of it will make the dish salty.

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