• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Subscribe
Subscribe by email Connect on Facebook Connect on Pinterest Follow Me on Instagram

Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

Finding the Forgotten Feast

  • Shop
  • Video Course
  • Stories
  • About
    • Public Events
    • Privacy Policy
  • Wild Game
    • Venison Recipes
    • Duck Recipes and Goose Recipes
    • Rabbits, Hares and Squirrels
    • Pheasants, Turkey, Quail
    • Dove Recipes
    • Wild Pig and Bear Recipes
    • My Best Taco Recipes
    • Wild Game Sauces
  • Charcuterie
    • Homemade Sausage Recipes
    • Smoker Recipes
    • Bacon, Jerky, Hams, etc
    • Salami Recipes
    • Confit, Pate, Terrines
  • Fish
    • General Fish Recipes
    • Salmon Recipes
    • Snapper Recipes
    • Crabs, Shellfish and Squid
    • Little Fish and Oddballs
  • Gathering
    • Preservation Recipes
    • Mushrooms
    • Sweet Things
    • Wild Greens and Herbs
    • Acorns, Nuts, Starches
  • Podcast
Home » Asian » Crab Curry

Crab Curry

By Hank Shaw on January 25, 2018, Updated June 16, 2020 - 15 Comments

Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe Comment
4.82 from 11 votes
A bowl of Indian crab curry.
Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Finished crab curry in a bowl.
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

When life gives you crabs, sometimes you need to do something other than make crab cakes or just eat the meat with a little drawn butter, right? How about crab curry?

Years ago, one of the readers of this site suggested I make crab curry, and, casting about for a good version, I settled on the one from Goa, in western India. Goan food is a combination of Indian and Portuguese, and it is one of the more exciting places to go, culinarily speaking.

This curry is so good I’ve been making it ever since, with Dungeness crab mostly, but also red and rock crabs, snow crab legs, and blue crabs, too. I imagine any crab meat you have on hand will work.

This is a from-scratch curry — no premade curry powders — and while it looks complicated, it’s not. Just have everything laid out before you start and you can have this curry done in less than 45 minutes. It is pretty similar to a fish curry I make, so if you have fish, use that recipe.

You do need the tamarind in the recipe, however, as it is a defining feature of Goan curries; you can get tamarind paste in both Asian and Latin markets, and you can buy tamarind paste online.

How spicy is this? Pretty spicy, although the chile heat can be adjusted depending on how many you put in the curry. I like it hot, so I put in 4 to 5 serranos, but you may want to use less.

Finally, if you don’t have lots of crab around, there is no reason on earth not to do this curry with shrimp, lobster, a firm fish, or even chicken or pheasant. It’ll be good with all of them.

crab curry recipe
Print Recipe
4.82 from 11 votes

Goan Crab Curry

I have used Dungeness and snow crab for this curry, but any sort of crab will work. No crab? Use shrimp, lobster or a firm fish. Serve with steamed basmati rice. The tamarind paste is the only hard ingredient to find, and it's always in either Latin or Asian markets, and you can buy it on Amazon.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time35 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 436kcal
Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

  • 1 pound crabmeat
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 6 cloves
  • 8 cardamom pods, or 1 teaspoon ground
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons fenugreek (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or clarified butter
  • 2 medium onions, 1 chopped fine and 1 sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2-3 small fresh chiles, such as serrano or Thai, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 14- ounce can of coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup grated coconut, fresh, if possible
  • 1 heaping tablespoon tamarind paste
  • Salt
  • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

  • Make the curry mix by toasting the coriander, peppercorns, cloves and cardamom pods in a dry skillet until they are fragrant and the coriander just starts popping. Take off the heat and let cool a minute or two and then grind fine in a mortar or spice grinder. Mix well with the turmeric, cumin and fenugreek.
  • Saute the chopped onion, the ginger, and the chiles in the same pan with the oil or butter until soft. Do not brown. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Take the onion mixture off the heat and put it into a blender. Add the curry spice mix to it, then about 1/4 cup of water. Blend into a puree.
  • Pour the coconut milk into a pot and heat it over medium-high heat until it simmers. Add the sliced onion and grated coconut and let this cook for 3-4 minutes at an active simmer.
  • Add the curry from the blender and mix well, then add the tamarind paste and mix again. Taste for salt and add some if needed.
  • Mix in the crab and cook until just heated, maybe 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and serve over rice.

Notes

NOTE: If you use ground versions of the spices, don't toast them. 

Nutrition

Calories: 436kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 973mg | Potassium: 751mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 149IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 7mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @HuntGatherCook or tag #HankShaw!

Thanks for Sharing This!

367 shares

Filed Under: Asian, Featured, Fish, Recipe

Avatar for Hank Shaw

Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Avatar for MarianneMarianne says

    March 2, 2023 at 6:01 pm

    Absolutely Delicious!

    Reply
  2. Avatar for CarolineCaroline says

    October 21, 2022 at 8:23 am

    My mom went crabbing and I decided to use some of the crabs she brought home for this recipe. It was amazing! Best curry I’ve had for quite a while. Thank you so much for the recipe!

    Reply
  3. Avatar for NelsNels says

    May 21, 2022 at 10:54 am

    I made this for a dinner party and used shrimp instead of crab. It turned out fantastic. I will say that while everybody loved it, people were divided on the spiciness even though I used 5 serranos for a double batch. It is funny to me that the eastern European, the Vermonter and the American of Scandinavian descent thought it was perfectly fine, but the two people who grew up in southern California thought it was really spicy. So maybe remove the seeds from your serranos if you are serving people who struggle with spicy food.

    Reply
  4. Avatar for Macrina CorreiaMacrina Correia says

    July 29, 2021 at 10:42 am

    Hi Hank, I tried your recipe and it turned out to be a delectable dish which does well with bread!! My gravy turned out thicker so I didn’t have it with rice. And I forgot to add the tamarind pulp towards the end but it was just yumm. I m from Goa and crab xec-xec is my favourite. Was homesick during the pandemic so decided to make this dish. Thank u for the recipe! Hope you are doing well during these times

    Reply
  5. Avatar for Rob WingardRob Wingard says

    January 21, 2020 at 8:47 pm

    Fantastic recipe that came together really quickly. It was great to have a new flavor set for crab! Definitely making this again.

    Reply
  6. Avatar for Supriya KuttySupriya Kutty says

    September 9, 2019 at 5:10 am

    This Crab curry is looking delicious and tempting. I have never tried it at home, always eaten in restaurants. I will now try this recipe at home and let you know. Thank you for sharing this recipe with the audience. Keep up the good work.

    Reply
  7. Avatar for emilie montyemilie monty says

    February 23, 2019 at 4:57 pm

    Could I make this with canned crab meat to save on cost?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      February 25, 2019 at 12:21 pm

      Emilie: I suppose.

      Reply
  8. Avatar for Letitia FernandesLetitia Fernandes says

    February 12, 2019 at 6:49 am

    Every house is goa has their own recipe and it’s all about sitting down with a plate of rice and crab curry for hours at the table chatting and sucking the crabs and getting messy. I make my
    Moms crab curry atleast once a month. I think it’s about time I make it again.

    Reply
  9. Avatar for JoelJoel says

    May 11, 2018 at 9:57 pm

    I have a friend whos family is from goa. They have been making crab curry when i bring them the crabs but, instead if using the pre cooked meat they toss the crab legs and quartered bodies in with the butter and onions. Then add in all the other stuff. Starting with the curry. Become a litterally finger liking good crab feed.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      May 12, 2018 at 8:56 am

      Joel: Thanks for the tip! I did do it that way a couple times, but many readers said they didn’t want to get their hands messy, so I changed it up. Still tastes great!

      Reply
  10. Avatar for Coco in the KitchenCoco in the Kitchen says

    February 9, 2018 at 4:33 pm

    I have to make this tonight.

    Crab cakes just got told.

    Reply
  11. Avatar for Jake DatheJake Dathe says

    January 25, 2018 at 7:15 pm

    Curious for a method to do this with soft shell crabs from my butcher. Got 3 in the freezer right now

    Reply
  12. Avatar for TimTim says

    January 25, 2018 at 4:07 pm

    Interesting that you didn’t also roast the cumin.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      January 26, 2018 at 8:27 am

      Tim: You absolutely can, I just didn’t. Laziness on my part.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hank Shaw holding a rod and reel in the American River

Hi, my name is Hank Shaw; I’m a James Beard Award-winning author and chef. I started this site back in 2007 to help you get the most out of all things wild: fish, game, edible wild plants and mushrooms. I also write cookbooks, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

More about Hank...

Featured Recipes

Closeup of sliced, smoked venison backstrap on a platter
Venison 101: How to Cook Venison
pickled pike recipe
Pickled Pike
Slices of smoked venison roast on a cutting board.
Smoked Venison Roast
Conejo en adobo on a plate
Conejo en Adobo
A platter of fried walleye with lemon.
Fried Walleye
A plate of pine nut cookies.
Pine Nut Cookies

As Seen In

As seen on CNN, New York Times, Simply Recipes, Martha Stewart, Food and Wine, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Field and Stream, Outdoor Life, and The Splendid Table

Never Miss a Recipe

Receive recipes direct to your inbox.

 

 

Back to Top
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Video Course
  • About
  • Podcast
  • Stories
  • Wild Game
  • Charcuterie
  • Fish
  • Gathering
Subscribe by email Connect on Facebook Connect on Pinterest Follow Me on Instagram

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

© 2023 Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, All Rights Reserved.

Site built by: Site by Status Forward

367 shares
  • Print
  • Pinterest
  • 100Facebook
  • WhatsApp
  • Save
  • Email
367 shares
  • 100