Sri Lankan Crabs with Spinach and Coconut Milk

This was originally supposed to be my entry to AWED – Srilanka, but later I realized that only vegetarian entries are acceptable, but then decided to go ahead and make it anyway for the meataholic :) This is adapted from the book “660 Curries” by Raghavan Iyer and even though the book has an elaborate method of using live blue crabs and getting the meat out it, I didnt bother to do any of that. I just got some readymade crab meat from the store and this was like the easiest non-vegetarian dish that i have made so far.

8 oz crab meat 4 cloves garlic 1 tsp sliced ginger 1 tsp black peppercorns 1 tsp mustard seeds 1 red onion, finely chopped 1 tbsp untoasted Sri Lankan Curry Powder, see recipe here 1 tsp cayenne 1 tomato, chopped 3 Thai green chillies, cut in half lengthwise 2 1-inch long cinnamon sticks 1/2 can un sweetened coconut milk + more coconut milk or regular milk, if it becomes too thick 1 cup baby spinach leaves juice of half a lime oil salt to taste

Pound the garlic, ginger, peppercorns and mustard with a mortar and pestle till it all become grainy and gritty. Heat oil in a large pan and add the onion and stir fry until golden brown. Add the curry powder, the garlic-ginger-pepper-mustard mixture and cayenne powder and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in the tomato, chillies, cinnamon sticks, salt and coconut milk as well. Let the mixture come to a boil and then add the crab meat to it. Lower heat and stir occasionally till the crab meat is cooked. Now add in the spinach and cook till it wilts. Stir in the lime juice and serve with Sri Lankan Muttu Rice or Basmati Rice or some Jasmine rice.

The Meat-a-holic’s Verdict : has a very south Indian flavor with the coconut milk standing out, but the fenugreek gives it a different spin. Jasmine rice would make the ideal combination. 7/10