Crabs Lovers ?

Are you a Crab Lover?

“For those who venture beyond the normal, for those who delight in the
gastronomy, for those who like to venture where no man has ever been before,
enter this page at your own peril, for life will not be the same again”.

Words, which paraphrased the club, I once set up in Delhi - The Crab Lovers
Club - Defunct today as experience showed (14 members in a short period of
6 weeks) the venue always ended up being at my place. So the founder
decided to unfound and the club was put to rest. Now by special invitation
only.

But the recipe remains and for those who wish to partake, here goes

- The famous "Chilli" Crab.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

1 kilogram fresh cleaned crab in the shell, claws separate, body in two
parts.
500 grams onion, finely chopped.
500 grams tomato, whole.
4 table spoons red chilli powder.
1 tablespoon turmeric (haldi) powder.
Juice of one lemon
Handful of dhania leaves, finely chopped
2 Bay leaves, whole
4 medium size cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 small piece (size of your thumb) ginger, finely chopped
Salt to taste
2 cups washed Basmati Rice
1 cup cooking oil
2 cups milk

Process

1. Take a deep pot or karhai
2. Put in the oil and let it come to heat
3. Put in the bay leaves, garlic and ginger and continuously stir for a
minute till light brown
4. Stir in the onions, let it brown and give out its water.
5. Blanch the tomatoes (put in a separate pan of boiling water for a
few minutes). Remove & throw away the peel and roughly mash up the rest
and add to the frying onions.
6. Put in the turmeric powder and a cup of water and let it cook
occasionally stirring till it becomes a thick paste.
7. Now add the crabs and gently stir as you see the colour of the
shells turning red.
8. Add the red chilli powder (more if you like to sweat - highly
recommended, less if you want to live long - but then what are you doing
here?)
9. Add the lemon juice and stir the lot for a few minutes.
10. Add water till the crabs are two thirds covered - Stir and put it on
slow fire to cook for 10 minutes. Cover.
11. After 10 minutes, remove the cover and put the heat on high,
stirring occasionally till the water level reduces to about one fourth the
level of the crabs. Add salt to taste and stir gently, shut the fire.
12. Boil the rice separately (in half water, half milk) and keep ready.
13. Pick up and place the crabs in a Borosil / See through dish, Then
pour its gravy on top and garnish with the dhania leaves.
14. Sit down, roll up your sleeves and have fun. Bowl of green salad
recommended for those who like the chilli chilli version. Take the phone
off the hook.

Availability

Crabs are available in Delhi usually at the fish shops at INA market and
sometimes at Chittaranjan Park. Rs. 100 – 150 a kilogram depending on the
clothes you are wearing.
At Mumbai, usually at Crawford Market and occasionally early morning at the
Docks off Colaba.

Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, the author would like to know where.