Name: Sri Lankan crab curry (crab kari)
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Serves 2
Cuisine: Sri lankan
Ingredients: 1 live Devon brown crab, or 1.5kg of prepared crab claws; 2 tbsp coconut oil; 1 tsp black mustard seeds; ½ tsp fenugreek seeds; 1 stick cinnamon; 1 stick lemongrass, sliced in half lengthways; 8-10 curry leaves; 5cm piece pandan leaf, or 2 dried pandan leaves; 1 onion, finely diced; a thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and finely grated; 3 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 small ripe tomato, finely diced; 1 tbsp unroasted Sri Lankan curry powder; 1 tsp chilli powder; 1 tsp ground coriander; ½ tsp ground turmeric; 120ml thick coconut milk; 250ml fresh fish stock, or water; 2 green chillies, sliced in half lengthways (optional)

A bowl of crab kari topped with crab claws on a slate background

1 live Devon brown crab
or 1.5kg of prepared crab claws
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
1 stick cinnamon
1 stick lemongrass
sliced in half lengthways
8-10 curry leaves
5cm piece pandan leaf
or 2 dried pandan leaves
1 onion
finely diced
a thumb-sized piece ginger
peeled and finely grated
3 cloves garlic
crushed
1 small ripe tomato
finely diced
1 tbsp unroasted Sri Lankan curry powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground turmeric
120ml thick coconut milk
250ml fresh fish stock
or water
2 green chillies
sliced in half lengthways (optional)

Method

step 1
Boil the crab for 10-12 minutes until cooked through, then break it down, separating the claws, cracking the body in half and removing all the brown meat from the carapace. Discard the gills and gut. You can do this up to a day ahead and keep the meat chilled until you need it.
step 2
Heat the coconut oil in a large, deep pan over a medium heat. Fry the mustard and fenugreek seeds for 1 minute. Once they start to splutter, stir in the cinnamon stick, lemongrass, curry leaves and pandan leaves. Cook for 30 seconds, then add the onion, ginger and garlic. Continue to cook, stirring regularly for 6-8 minutes or until the onion has softened and slightly browned.
step 3
Add the tomato and all of the spices. Continue cooking for 5 minutes until the tomato breaks down to a pulp, adding a splash of water if the sauce begins to stick. Add the coconut milk and stock or water and simmer for 5 minutes or until the liquid reduces to a silky sauce.
step 4
Add the brown crab meat, claws and body, and simmer for 8-10 minutes over a medium heat or until the sauce thickly coats the shells. Add the green chillies for the final 2 minutes of cooking, if using. Season and serve.