Crab Sukka( Crab Dry)

Today I made Crab sukka. Its a Mangalore Style of preparing Crab using whole spices and coconut. Its a dry dish hence goes well as a starter or a side dish with rice and curry. In Bangalore its hard to find crab often. Luckily the fellow who gets fish for us gets crab once in a while and we all relish the crab to the last bite.
Ingredients :

• 1 Kg of crab ( round about 5 to 6 medium size crab)

For Seasoning:

• 1 tbsp Oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• Some Curry leaves
• 1 large Onion (sliced)
• 1 tsp Tamarind Paste (small lemon size tamarind soaked in 1 cup of water)

For Grinding :

• 2 tbsp Coriander seeds (Dhaniya)
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds  (Jeera)
• 1 1/2 tsp Poppy seeds (khuskhus)
• 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds ( methi seed) (dont add more it will turn bitter)
• 1/4 tsp Mustard seeds  
• 10 to 12 Kashmiri Chillies
• 4 to 5 pods of Garlic 

• 1/2 cup grated Coconut

How to prepare:

1. Clean the crab neatly and cut the crab if it is large in size (refer the pic). Drain and keep it aside

  2. Take a large size kadai or deep pan. Heat oil, then add seasoning of mustard seeds once it starts to splutter add curry leaves.

3. Add sliced onion and fry. No need to brown it just when it turns pink add the washed and drained crab.
4. Now mix tamarind paste in 1 cup of water, dissolve salt (as per taste) and pour it over crab and close the lid

5. Let it cook for about 15 to 20 mins occasionally turning it. Don't forget to close the lid since we have added little water the crab cooks due to steam.
6. Now when the crab is getting cooked take another pan and dry fry or roast without oil all the ingredients for grinding except coconut on a low flame for abt 2 to 3 mins. A nice aroma will tell u its done. Let it cool.

7. Grind the roasted ingredients into powder.

8. Now fry coconut in the same pan till golden brown on low heat.

9. Once the crab is cooked add the powdered masala to the crab. Mix well.
10. Now grind fried coconut coarsely and add it to the crab. Mix well and if any water is left over let it dry while stirring over high flame.
11. Enjoy your Crab Sukka :)

Courtesy: My Mom :)