Mangalorean Specialities, Seafood Dishes
Mangalore Style Crab Pepper Fry.
Mangalore is a relatively small city on the south-west coast of India and we Mangalorean Catholics (Mangi’s) are a ‘fish loving breed’ known for their undying love of seafood. Mangi’s can eat fish, breathe fish and die for fish too 😉 (though as a matter of fact anything that moves could easily satisfy our meaty appetites 😉
Crabs are either cooked in a rich deliciously Spicy Coconut Crab curry, as a hot Spicy Roast or simmered in a Pepper based dry dish like todays recipe. This dish is one of hubby’s favourite and I learned to make it by watching my Mother in law. It is peppery, delicious and truly crabworthy!
Fresh Atlantic crabs or Blue Crabs: 2-3 crabs cut into halves
Tomato: 3 nos
Coriander powder: 2 tbsp
Pepper corns: 1 heaped tsp or more for hotter palates
Fennel seeds: 1 tsp
Cinnamon: 1 inch piece
Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp
Method:
1. Gently dry roast on a pan ( seperately) the peppercorns, fennel seeds, grated coconut, cinnamon, cumin seeds, methi seeds till aromatic and then grind to a fine paste using a very little water.
2. Clean crabs, and cut each crab into quarters and crack the legs gently, so the flavours can enter.
3. Heat oil in a large round bottomed vessel/ kadai. Add curry leaves followed by 1 cubed onion and slit green chillies and fry for 3-5 minutes on a medium flame. When the onions have softened add ginger-garlic paste and fry for 3-4 minutes till it turns golden brown. Then add the chopped tomatoes and salt. Fry for 3-4 minutes then add the coriander, chilli, turmeric and garam masala powders and continue to fry till the tomato gets mashed and the oil starts to separate. Add the remaining cubed onion and fry for a minute. Add the roasted ground paste, tamarind paste and mix well.
4. Add the cleaned crab toss well with the spicy onion tomato mixture. Add 2-3 tbps water only if required. Cover and cook on a medium flame for 5-7 minutes or till done.
