Kankra / Crab is more of favourite to me than prawns, I find its flesh sweeter, juicier, tastier. Back in Kolkata it is seasonal, less priced than prawns. In this island city, we get freshest produce, in wide variety of range, it is as pricy as prawns. The bigger its size, pricier it is. What I do is I buy medium sized, too small crabs do not taste good... where is flesh? For big ones, we go to sea side restaurants to have that particular, island famous "black pepper crab".... chilli crab seems to me bit sweeter, do not like use of cornflour in it. I enjoy crab with"mantou buns".... I love them, wish to kiss those palms who make it. At home, crab curries like this non vegetarian seafood TOMATO ALOO DIYE KAKRER ROSHA always goes with steamed rice.
Outdoor dining has lessened with time. When we were young, husband used to sail for months, we used to hunt Kolkata restaurants often whenever he was in town, we even had yum "missi roti" at Teej during the mourning period after his paternal grandmother's demise, such outgoing we used to be. I am forgetting name of the Japanese restaurant we used to hunt located between Lindsay Street and Park Street. We do not even know if they are still there or not, Amber used to serve good kebabs... have these old charms given way to new? Like, last December we found Magnolia too crowded, worn out, not worthy to spend some time. A bit of old world charm should stay for people like us. Just as our visiting friend last Saturday was telling they will be travelling to Spain during Diwali, he isn't willing to, he loves nature. I told him he will love Toledo if they are going there. They are avid travellers, was saying they loved Antarctica, there are some spots there where you may feel you are not in this world. I could connect to him because I love nature, absolutely do not like visiting cities!
I loved Australia's country side, Amsterdam..... you do not need boost from senior Bacchan & Rekha Ganesan to romanticise with the place.... it itself provides you that..... few years back when he got a job offer there, I was all game for it.... the suburb neighbourhoods are etherial. I told him how beautiful it would be to open an "shoraikhana" [inn] there in countryside, I will cook, you will manage the accounts, we would have a help. His reaction was instant, "wife, those romantic classic reads have spoiled your system since school." I said "do not book stupid holidays for me "4nights, 5days package in starlit Hong Kong".... waste of money. Let us drive to a country side of our neighbouring country for a week. He retaliates, "do you tell your readers that picturesque villages have to have a resort with a personal sauna?" It's never like that, I want a tiled, squeaky clean toilet, there cannot be a single spot on bed spread, I would just puke.But in reality, this island has wrapped us with such comfort, it would be difficult for us anywhere else in this world.
Okay, we do bond over simple, Bengali style seafood curry TOMATO ALOO DIYE KAKRER ROSHA. The thing is son would not eat unless mumma gets rid of shells, serves him flesh alone. I find it difficult, what will he do in a different land.... would he take effort to learn cooking all by himself or destroy his system eating outside day and night.... that is my concern. His father left home at age 20, but he never had to think about cooking his own food, they had a moving pantry with surplus food. some of our friends' kids got self sufficient, mine cannot prepare a cup of tea..... but I still cannot think to prioritise my interest over my kid's.... in first place we should not have given birth then.
Let's change topic! I was in good mood yesterday, ate sweets liberally, won't do this blunder everyday but couldn't resist having CARAMEL CUSTARD I made yesterday evening, updated pictures of particular blog post.
INGREDIENTS :
MEDIUM SIZED CRAB : 800GM-1KG [GET IT CUT & CLEANED FROM YOUR VENDOR]
POTATO : 1BIG
TOMATO : 1BIG
ONION : 1BIG
CUMIN POWDER : 2TSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 1TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 2TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP + 1/2TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
FENUGREEK SEED : 1/4TSP
BAY LEAF : 1
LEMON JUICE : 1TBSP
OIL : 5-6TBSP
PROCEDURE :
I always buy crabs from those vendors who cut, clean for us, else it gets tough for Cristine, I cannot.
At home, we wash pieces thoroughly under running water, then soak them in hot water for an hour. I do this exercise because I am scared of seafood.... any wrong on our part can cause severe stomach ailments.
Actually this recipe is of our mother's. She used to cook prawns with it, I have a blog post about it.
Let's drain water after an hour, marinate crab pieces with salt, 1/2tsp turmeric. Keep aside for 15 minutes.
Peel, wash potatoes. Cube them, marinate with 1/2tsp of turmeric little salt. Wash, chop tomatoes. Peel, wash, slice onions.
Prepare spice paste mixing 1/2tsp turmeric + 2tsp cumin powder + 1tsp coriander powder + 2tsp red chilli powder + little salt + 2tbsp water.
Heat oil in wok, fry potatoes until light brown. Take out. Now fry crab pieces discarding marinade.
Temper oil with fenugreek seeds, bay leaf, once it gives out an aroma, add sliced onions. Fry them until brown, then add spice mixture. Stir fry at low heat for 2 minutes. Now add 11/2 coffee mugs of water.
Bring gravy to boil. Add fried potatoes, simmer at low for a minute or two. Add fried crab pieces, some slitted green chillies [I forgot].
Let it simmer at lowest heat, covered for 3-4 minutes. Add lemon juice, we are done.
We also had "borboti, aloo, kanchakolar jhol", "kalojeerey, tezpata, shukno lanka phoron mushurir dal", basic salad on the day to go with steamed rice.
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