Ammi's Jaffna Crab Curry

Sri Lankans are avid seafood lovers, this much is true by and large. It makes sense, the island is absolutely surrounded with a lush selection of seafood, and chief amongst them are the fat, sweet blue swimmer crabs that make their homes in the natural lagoons and ports. So naturally, crab curry is very much a way of life for us.

The most prized version comes from the north of Sri Lanka, from the Tamil communities of Jaffna. What gives that version of the crab curry its distrinctive flavour is the Jaffna Curry Powder. You can make the curry without it -- but really isn't the same to be honest and then it's just a regular crab curry.

Cleaning the crabs:

Ensure that you remove the gills and top shell of the crab andf give it a thorough clean. Most people like to split the crab body in half but I like to leave mine whole because it stops the crab meat from being over cooked.

Ingredients:

- 4 large blue swimmer crabs, cleaned and cut into halves or quarters

- 300ml coconut milk (thin)

-150ml coconut milk (thick)

- 200ml water (adjust based on desired curry thickness)

- 2-3 tablespoons oil (coconut or vegetable oil)

- 1 large onion, sliced

- 5-6 cloves garlic, crushed or finely chopped

- 2-3 green chilies, slit lengthwise

- 1 sprig curry leaves

- 1 small pandan leaf (optional)

- ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds

- 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised

- 2 tablespoons Jaffna curry powder

- 1 tablespoon chili powder (adjust to taste)

- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder

- 1-inch cinnamon stick

- 2 fresh tomatoes, chopped

- Salt to taste

- Lime juice for serving

- Moringa leaves (optional, for garnish)

Method:

Clean the blue swimmer crabs and set them aside. Separate the bodies from the legs, and crush the legs lightly with a pestle.

Grate some lime zest over the crab and toss through, allowing the lime flavour to penetrate into the crab.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add fenugreek seeds and let them splutter. Then add the onions, garlic, green chilies, curry leaves, pandan leaf, and lemongrass. Sauté until the onions become soft and golden.

Add the Jaffna curry powder, chili powder, and turmeric powder to the pot. Stir well, cooking the spices for about 2 minutes to release their flavors.

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they soften and release their juices, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the cleaned crab legs to the pot, ensuring they are coated in the curry base. Pour in the thin coconut milk and water, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes.

Add in the crab bodies and allow to cook for around 5 minutes. Remove the crab bodies and simmer the curry until liquid has evaporated by about a third.

Add in the thick coconut milk and stir, and add the crab bodies back in.

Taste the curry and add salt as needed. Adjust the thickness of the gravy by adding more water if necessary.

Remove the pot from heat. Squeeze lime juice over the curry just before serving. Garnish with moringa leaves if desired.

Serve with steamed rice or string hoppers, and enjoy!