Spicy Crabs With Coconut Dumplings Recipes

Steps:

• Place the crab in the freezer for 2 hours or until it stops moving. Remove the legs and crack them with a rolling pin. Remove the top of the shell and clean out the insides with your fingers. Chop the crab and top shells in half.
• Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds and peppercorns and stir constantly until the seeds become toasted and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Cool completely.
• To make the paste, grind the coriander seeds, cumin seeds and peppercorns with a pinch of salt using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. Transfer the spice mixture to a food processor and add the vinegar, coconut, ginger, garlic, chile and onions and blend to form a paste.
• Heat the oil in a heavy, large, wide pot over low heat. Add the paste and saute until fragrant and some of the juices evaporate, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the tomato, curry leaves, turmeric, chili powder and a pinch of salt and cook until the tomato pieces are tender and melting into the sauce, 5 minutes. Add the crab and 4 1/2 ounces water, increase the heat to medium and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer or until the crab pieces are cooked through, 10 minutes. Mix in the coconut milk and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
• Divide the crab pieces and sauce among shallow wide soup plates and serve immediately.

Steps:

• To make the salad: In a small non-stick skillet, stir together the oil, jalapeno, and garlic. Stir-fry over medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the sugar. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, and cool slightly. Toss the carrot, coriander, lime juice, fish sauce, and scallion together with the jalapeno mixture. Set aside.
• To make the dumplings: In a medium bowl, combine the crabmeat, water chestnuts, egg white, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, coriander, and salt.
• Lay 6 to 8 wontons out on a work surface. Trim into rounds with the biscuit cutter. Lightly brush the surface of each wrapper with vinegar. Place a level tablespoon of the crab filling in the center of each wrapper. Gather the wrapper around the filling, in a loosely-pleated open dumpling. The dumpling should be flat on the bottom with about a 1/2-inch of the wrapper unfilled at the top in order to hold the salad after steaming. Repeat until the filling is used up.
• Arrange the dumplings about 1/4-inch apart in 2 lettuce leaf-lined bamboo steamers. Fill a wok or pan with enough water to come up to the bottom of the steamer rack, and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Stack the steamers in the pan, cover, and steam the dumplings until the filling is set, about 10 minutes.
• Remove the steamer from the pan. Top each dumpling with 1/2 heaping teaspoon of the carrot salad. Serve immediately in the steamer pan.

Steps:

• Kill and clean crabs--cut and rub lime juice over crabs to clean further; place in bowl.
• Mix together spicy seasoning ingredients in bowl, then add to crabs.
• Stir to coat all the crabs with seasoning.
• Cover, and place in fridge for 2-3 hours.
• To make a sauce, heat oil and butter together in large saucepan.
• Fry onion, garlic and chile until onions are transparent.
• Add curry powder and coconut milk.
• Bring to boil, and then add seasoned crabs.
• Lower heat and simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until crabs have changed color and meat is tender.
• Stir in ketchup; season with salt and pepper, then cook for further 10 minutes.
• Coconut dumplings:.
• Mix grated coconut, flour and salt together.
• Add enough coconut milk to make a firm dough.
• Form into small balls about size of golf balls, and then flatten them with palms of hands.
• Bring 1 quart water to the boil; add dumplings.
• Boil for 10-15 minutes or until cooked.
• Drain and serve hot with the crabs.

Steps:

• Mix garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and turmeric in bowl. Place crab on rimmed baking sheet; smear garlic mixture over. Cover; chill 2 hours.
• Heat medium skillet over medium heat. Add chiles and next 7 ingredients; stir until toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to spice grinder; cool. Add coconut to skillet and stir until light brown, about 5 minutes; cool. Add 1/3 cup coconut to spices in grinder; blend well. Add remaining coconut, 1/3 cup at a time, grinding finely.
• Heat oil in large deep skillet over medium heat. Add onions; saute until golden, about 20 minutes. Add crabs and coconut-spice mixture; reduce heat to low. Cook until heated, tossing with tongs, about 5 minutes. Add coconut milk and 1/2 cup water; bring to simmer. Cover; simmer 15 minutes, turning often. Transfer crab to platter. Serve with lime wedges and rice.
• *This bright red chile is available at some supermarkets, specialty foods stores, and Latin markets.
• **Sold at some supermarkets, specialty foods stores, and natural foods stores.