Sri Lankan Crab Curry

Crab Curry

• 1 tbsp raw long white rice I use basmati rice
• 4 tbsp desiccated coconut (unsweetened) OR freshly grated coconut ¼ cup
• 1 inch ginger minced
• 6 garlic cloves left whole
• ½ yellow onion finely chopped
• 1 ½ tbsp of unroasted curry powder recipe below (see notes for substitutes)
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper I use 1 heaped tsp because we like it extra spicy
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 6 - 8 curry leaves
• 1 pandan leaf fresh or dried, about 4 inches in length
• 2 - 3 fresh red or green chili peppers or 2 serrano peppers, sliced or slit in half
• 1.5 cups coconut milk good quality
• 6 blue swimmer crabs cleaned and cut in half (see video in post for cleaning instructions).
• salt to taste
• Drumstick leaves traditional, but optional. you can use cilantro leaves if you like instead (not a flavor substitution)
• water as needed

Unroasted Curry Powder (please see recipe notes)

• 4 tsp whole coriander seeds
• 3 tsp whole cumin seeds
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• 1 ½ tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp fennel seeds