Jaffna Crab Curry | Sri Lankan Spicy Crab Curry | Kitchenstagram
Jaffna cuisine, hailing from the northern coast of Sri Lanka, is renowned for its vibrant use of spices and fresh seafood, especially crab. A staple in the region, Jaffna Crab Curry,also known as Sri Lankan Crab Curry or Kakuluwo curry, is a beloved, spicy dish that perfectly embodies the flavour of Sri Lanka’s coastal areas. This curry often features unique ingredients like murunga leaves or moringa leaves, adding a slightly bitter and earthy taste that complements the sweetness of the crab meat.
The curry’s root lies in the traditional cooking of Jaffna but its popularity has spread across Sri Lanka, especially along the seaboard where seafood is an integral part of daily meals. The preparation of Jaffna Crab Curry, though flavourful, is surprisingly straightforward, especially Jaffna curry powder on hand. Jaffna Crab Curry is typically served with rice, pittu or bread, making it a hearty and satisfying meal. The dish uses a unique blend of spices, usually prepared with Jaffna Curry Powder, a signature spice mix crafted from roasted red chili, curry leaves, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek etc. The intensity of this blend varies by household, creating a personalized spice level and depth of flavour in each version of the curry. The red chili in the powder gives the curry its iconic heat, which is balanced by the other aromatic spices. Find our Homemade Jaffna Curry Powder recipe Here!!
For those unfamiliar with Sri Lankan seafood, Jaffna Crab Curry offers a bold introduction to the country’s culinary style, with every bite of the rich, spicy crab meat leaving a lasting impression. This dish has rightfully gained fame beyond Sri Lanka, leaving visitors yearning for another taste long after their visit.
How to choose the right Crab for the Jaffna Crab Curry?
To make an exceptional crab curry, choosing the right crab is key. The dish traditionally calls for either Blue Swimmer or Mud Crabs, both of which work wonderfully in a curry. Freshness is crucial, so aim to use live crabs if possible. If you find live crabs, ask your fishmonger to kill and clean them for you, or do it yourself at home and cook them immediately. Freshly killed crabs yield firmer, more flavourful meat, while older or improperly handled crabs can become soft and mushy when cooked.
If fresh crab isn’t an option, choose pre-frozen crabs from a reputable source to ensure they were quickly frozen after being killed and cleaned. This preserves texture and flavour. Try to use female crabs, as they taste better and they have a slightly sweeter taste, which adds depth to the curry.
Preparing the crab also makes a difference. Crack the claws before adding them to the curry base so that the flavours penetrate the meat more thoroughly. This step is optional, but it enhances the dish. If you don’t have a claw cracker, you can use a meat hammer or the back os a knife to gently crack them.
Ingredients:
4 nos. Live Mud Crab (cleaned & cut in half)
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1 tsp Fennel seeds
1 tsp Black Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
2 sprigs of Curry leave
2 nos. Onion, chopped
1 tbsp Garlic, minced
1 tbsp Ginger, minced
6-8 nos. Green Chili, sliced
1 no. Tomato, chopped
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
Salt to taste
4 tbsp Jaffna Curry Powder
400 ml Coconut Milk
1 tbsp Tamarind puree seedless
2 sprig Moringa/ Drumstick leaves
2 tbsp Lemon juice
Preparation:
Cleaning & Preparing the Crab:
- Step 1: Place the live crab in the freezer for 1 hour or until it stops moving, but don’t let the crab freeze. Ensure the eyes and limbs aren’t moving, no active bubbling around the moth and legs hang limp. Once the crab is asleep, prepare it right away.
- Step 2: Separate the claws from the crabs body. Next remove the flap on the underside of the crab so we can remove the top shell. Lift up the flap and twist it off and discard.
- Step 3: Next, remove the top shell, called the carapace. Working from the back of the crab, put your thumb between the body and the top shell and pull it off. If you have trouble here, run a small knife down each side of the top shell then remove the top shell.
- Step 4: Inside the top shell you will find grey membrane and a yellow substance. The yellow stuff is called tomalley or crab mustard or crab fat, it’s packed with intense crab flavours. Reserve the tomalley, scrape everything inside the top shell into a bowl. Reserve the empty top shell and we’ll use it for decorative purpose in the finished dish.
- Step 5: Now, reserve the tomalley from the crab body. Now remove the mandibles and gills, which are inside the body. They come off easily, just tear them off with your hands.
- Step 6: Cut the crab body in half down the middle. Then crack the claws, give it a whack with the back of a knife to create some cracks in the shell, but try not to break the shell completely, so the claws still hold together. This helps with even cooking makes it easier to eat.
For Jaffna Crab Curry:
- Step 7: Heat oil in a wok and then add fennel seeds, black mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds, let them splutter.
- Step 8: Then add curry leaves and sautée for 1-2 minutes. Then add chopped onion and a pinch of salt and cook for 6-8 minutes on medium heat until translucent.
- Step 9: Then add minced garlic and minced ginger, sautée for 2-3 minutes. Next add sliced green chili and chopped tomato and cook for 6-8 minutes on medium heat, until the tomatoes are mushy.
- Step 10: Add turmeric powder and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the raw smell of turmeric is gone. Then add the cleaned crabs and cook for 5-6 minutes or until crab starts to change colour.
- Step 11: Next, add the Jaffna Curry powder and stir to combine properly. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes on medium heat.
- Step 12: Then uncover the wok and add salt and stir to combine. Again cover and cook for 5-6 minutes on medium heat.
- Step 13: Then add the reserved top shell of the crab and stir to combine. Next, add the coconut milk and stir properly to combine everything. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes on medium-low heat.
- Step 14: Then uncover the wok and add the tamarind pulp and stir to combine, simmer on medium heat for 5-6 more minutes.
- Step 15: Add the drumstick leaves and stir through while hot. Turn off the flame and add the lemon juice, stir to combine.
- Step 16: Serve warm with steamed rice or pittu or bread. Enjoy!!
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DEBJANI MONDAL
Welcome to Kitchenstagram, the home of delicious recipes, culinary inspiration and cooking adventures. I’m Debjani and I’m thrilled to be your guide through the wonderful world of food. I’m a self-taught professional baker, home chef, recipe developer, author of Kitchenstagram and an aspiring YouTuber.
My passion for food and cooking began at a very young age, when I would watch my mom and dad cook for me and my brother. My dad, in particular is a great cook whose culinary skills made a lasting impression on me. My dad would cook up a storm on special occasions by cooking variety of dishes, from delicious biriyani to samosa, fish fry, rasgullas and kachoris (sweet & spicy deep fried pastry with filling of lentils, meat or fish…>>>>>
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