Indian Crab Curry Recipe (Crab Khuddi) | How to make Crab Curry

Indian Recipe for Crab Curry is prepared in an East Indian Style with Bottle Masala. The crab curry is a coconut-based recipe with the East Indian Bottle Masala (Crab Khuddi). It has a spicy and slightly tangy gravy from the use of tamarind. The curry is so easy and to cook and you should not be skeptical about making this at home.

About Crabs

Crabs are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and also low in saturated fats. Crabmeat is also rich in the mineral Selenium which is good for our immune system. Considering the health benefits of crabs, they must be included in our diet.

A variety of crabs such as sea crabs and mud crabs are available in various parts of India. In this recipe, I am using the black sea crabs that I got in the market today. Any variety of crabs are devoured by seafood lovers and eaten throughout the year.

Though crabs are popular among seafood lovers, not everyone can cook a crab curry to perfection. Making a perfect crab curry begins with first selecting crabs and cleaning them well. This post is for crab lovers who love to eat crabs but find cooking crabs quite intimidating. So let’s begin right by selecting good crabs for this Indian crab curry recipe.

How to choose crabs?

The two varieties of widely eaten crabs in India are sea crabs and mud crabs. Choosing good crabs can sometimes be confusing.

You must select medium-sized crabs, not too large or too small as these are tastier. The crabs should also feel heavy when handled, this ensures that the crab is fleshy and will make a good crab curry.

My mum always emphasized selecting the female crabs as they tend to be fleshier than the male crabs. To differentiate between a male crab and a female crab, turn the crab over and check the white shell. If you find its middle flap V-shaped towards the tail end, it should be a male crab whereas the female crab has a broader flap.

Also while buying mud crabs, ensure that you buy the crabs that are alive. These mud crabs are generally sold alive and stay that way for a couple of days.

Best Time to Eat Crabs

The best time to eat crabs in India is during the winter months which are December to February. Also, during the monsoon, you get a lot of mud crabs and a smaller variety of field crabs called Muthias.

The best time to buy crabs is during the new moon night (Amavasya). It is said that during the new moon, the crabs come out of their hiding to feed themselves and thus grow in size. When you buy crabs after the new moon, you will find that they are fleshy and tasty.

Moreover, during the full moon, the crabs tend to shed their exoskeleton (the hard outer covering that protects their internal organs). During this time, the crabs are more healthy and fleshy and hence there is a great demand for crabs during this period.

Health Benefits of Eating Crabs

Crab meat is low in fat and also a good source of protein which helps in metabolism. Crab is a source of Omega 3 fatty acids and zinc which help to reduce cholesterol and maintain a healthy heart.

Crabs are also rich in essential minerals like selenium, vitamin B2, and copper. These minerals along with Omega 3 help to improve brain function. Copper present in crab meat helps in absorbing iron which in turn helps in improving red blood cells.

Though eating crabs is healthy one must understand that moderation is the key to maintaining good health.

How To Clean Crabs?

After you have selected good crabs, let’s learn how to clean crabs. To clean crabs, first, disjoint the claws of the crabs carefully. Since the mud crabs are alive, you have to be extra cautious. You can use a kitchen towel for this purpose. Also, disjoint the legs and keep them aside.

Now wash each crab under running water to get rid of the mud sacs. Also, rip apart the V-shaped flap and wash the mud collected. We prefer to keep the top hard shells of the crabs intact and then cut each crab into two pieces with a heavy knife. You could discard the hard shell if you want.

Discard the guts and the sand sacs of the crab and once again wash it under running water. You will now have a squeaky clean crab ready to cook the best Indian crab curry recipe (Crab Khuddi).

How To Make East Indian Crab Curry?

Now that we have the crabs ready for cooking, let’s learn how to cook crabs and make crab curry. For this crab curry recipe in an East Indian Style (Crab Khuddi) let’s get the ingredients ready –

• ONIONS & COCONUT – Slice 03 medium onions and 1/2 cup of dried coconut and roast in a pan with a tbsp of oil until brown. We could use either dried or freshly grated coconut for this recipe. I generally use dried coconut to make this crab curry as it gives a wonderful texture to the masala.

• MASALA PASTE – Now transfer these browned onions and coconut into a blender jar when cool. Then add these ingredients and blend them into a smooth paste –
  • Coriander leaves – 1 small bunchGinger – 1-inch Garlic – 10 to 12 flakesGreen Chillies – 4 to 5
  • Whole spices (peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom) (or use homemade Garam Masala Powder)
  • Roasted grams (chana) – 2 tbsp (optional – this is used to thicken the curry)

• BOTTLE MASALA – Add 2 or 3 tbsp or more of Bottle Masala for the gravy. This is the only spice mix we use for this crab curry. But if you do not have bottle masala you could also use meat masala or simply add chilli powder with some garam masala powder.

• TAMARIND – Soak a lemon-sized ball of tamarind in half a cup of lukewarm water and then extract the juice. We use this tamarind extract in the crab curry towards the end.

• EXTRACT JUICE FROM THE CRAB LEGS – This is an optional step but it gives the crab curry a delightful flavour. Blend the crab legs in one cup of water and then strain in a sieve to extract the juice. You could skip this step instead and add the crab legs directly to the curry. I sometimes prefer to omit this step and add the crab legs directly to the curry.

How to prepare Crab Curry (Indian Crab Curry Recipe)

• In a large vessel heat 4 tbsp oil and then throw in some smashed garlic flakes and add the blended masala paste. Saute for 2 minutes for the raw smell to disappear.

• Now add 2 – 3 tbsp of bottle masala and saute for 2 more minutes.

• After 2 minutes add the crab pieces and crab claws, along with the extracted crab leg juice (if using). Add salt to taste and water to make the required curry.

• Now cover the vessel and allow the crab curry to come to a boil and then reduce the flame and let the crabs cook for 10 to 12 minutes or till done.

• Finally, add the tamarind juice and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust the gravy by adding water, depending on what you want to serve it with.

• Lastly, add the garam masala powder and garnish with coriander leaves (optional), and then turn off the heat.

• Delicious East Indian Crab Curry recipe (Crab Khuddi) is done and ready to be served.

Watch Crab Curry Video

Serving Suggestions

Serve crab curry with your main course meals. Crab curry is best served with steamed rice or rice rotis.

You cannot resist eating these juicy crabs and they can be best enjoyed when eaten with your fingers.

Other Seafood recipes you may like

PRAWN FRITHAD -East Indian Prawn Curry Recipe

FISH CHINCHONI – Fish Curry Recipe

PRAWN CHILLI FRY

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