Friday, July 15, 2011

Peethala Iguru or Crab Curry

Peethala Iguru
(requested recipe)
Ingredients:


Set 1 (marinate all these and keep aside):


Large Crabs - 4 (clean well and do pieces)
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - to taste 
Kashmiri chilli powder - 1 tsp


Ginger - 2 inch
Garlic - 1
Fresh grated coconut - 3 tbsp


- grind these three into smooth paste.


Set 2 (roast and powder):


Cloves - 6
Cardamom - 3
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 3 tsp
Cinnamon - 1 inch


Set 3:


Oil - for shallow frying as needed
Green chillies - 8 (slit vertically)
Onions - 2 (chop finely)


Poppy seeds - 3 tsp (powder it)
Salt to taste

Spring onion  - katta or bunch (keep white and green seperate and chop)
Coriander leaves - 1 small bunch (chopped finely, for garnishing)

Proceed:

Heat oil in a flat deep nonstick pan, add required oil, once hot on medium heat add sompu 1/4 tsp, green chillies, curry leaves, once fried add chopped onion and white part of chopped spring onion (Set 3) fry well.

After golden brown add crab pieces (Set 1) cook until water which comes out of it,evaporates. Then add 1 glass of water and cook.

Once water reduces and becomes like gravy like consistency, add grinded poppy seed, roasted masala powder (Set 2), coriander leaves and salt to taste and simmer for 10 mins. garnish with remaining part of spring onion.

Translation:

Sompu = Ani seed
Peethalu = Crabs
Nalla Peethalu = Black colored Crabs

Tips to buy Crabs in Kakinada:

Chukka Peethalu (these has tiny sugar crystal size spots on crabs) and Nalla Peethalu are good in taste.


Hope these are correct, or else please enlighten me and my readers. Thanks!

Chukka Peethalu?

is also known as Portunos Pelagicus or Blue Swimmer Crab or Blue crab or Flower Crab

Nalla Peethalu?

is also known as Scylla Serrata or Mangrove Crab or Mud Crab or Black Crab

© 2011 by Rajani Rayudu

9 comments:

vina said...

Hi Rajanigaru,

This receipe sounds good, will try it. I have never bought/cooked crabs.
Do you have any suggestions/tips what to look for while buying crabs. I have seen so many varieties in the market- cooked, uncooked and also different colours!!

Thanks.

Dilip said...

Thank you for this recipe. It sounds great and am eagerly looking forward to try it out :)

This is a great blog! I just stumbled upon it and I wish to thank you for all your hard work in making these fantastic recipes available to the public at alrge

Rajani Rayudu said...

Hi Vina,

I have written in tips follow them. Thanks and let me know.

Hi Dilip,

thanks for your lovely comments. Let me know what changes you made to this curry.

cheers
rajani

Vina said...

thank u :-)

Unknown said...

Rajani,

You have done a great job with the blog. Hope I get some tips on how to maintain the blog from you. I have created a Tirunelveli remedies and recipes blog to share my traditions at http://kanthirecipes.blogspot.com

Your comments are welcome

thank you and good luck

Rajani Rayudu said...

Hi Kanthi,

Thanks for visiting my blog. I just had glimpse of your blog with home science degree I think you will do better job. Will visit your blog and see what recipes I can learn from you. Thanks once again.

cheers
rajani

Kanthi Pichaiah said...

Thank you Rajani for your comments on my blog kanthirecipes.blogspot.com
I will try and add how to serve the dishes. I am enjoying your blog too - thank you for sharing that

afsar said...

Hi Rajani...Thanks a lot for a lovely recipe. Loved the beautiful flavour. Just did two changes - Added diced tomato to the frying onion and didn't have spring onion to add. No one could guess that I was cooking crabs for the first time. Thank you

Anonymous said...

Great and Good job:-) i would like to proceed with this curry but,You haven't mentioned about the cleaning process of crabs. Can you can provide more details about cleaning process?