The elders in the family say there's a season to eat certain foods. And crabs are mostly eaten in the winter in India - between December to February. Why? because that's the time you get the freshest catch. So what's on the menu you ask? Crabs of course!
Make sure you buy these creatures while they are alive. Medium sized crabs are the best because they are said to be meaty and tasty. When you buy them alive, ensure their claws are tied and then off they go to the freezer for a couple of minutes. This makes them numb and it is considered a more humane way to kill them before you decide to cook them(Since when did ice cold become humane. I know boiling water is not. But either way, we are killing them, no?)
Moving on. Put them in boiling water one at a time or all together - This is dependent on the size of the pan and how many crabs it can contain. While you keep them to boil for 15 minutes, prepare an ice water bath in a separate utensil.
Take the crabs off the hot water one by one and put them in the cold ice bath. Now break the claws and take off the unwanted parts underneath the shell. Once done? follow this recipe:
Main Ingredients: Crabs Medium 6 3 tbsp oil
Masala to be ground: chillies red 10 (2 bedgi, 8 kashmiri) coconut ¼ coriander 2.5 tsp cumin 3/4 tsp garlic 6 flakes onion 1 large pepper 4 tamarind marble size turmeric 1/2 tsp
Slice: onion 1 large for sautéing
Method: Cook crabs with 2 cups of water, 1 tsp salt and 1 medium onion. Heat oil. Sauté onion. Add ground masala and fry. Add crabs and water. Mix well. Simmer for 15 mins. Enjoy!
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