Sri Lankan Black Pepper Crab Curry

Ingredients

• 2 whole brown crab, cleaned and halved
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 2 tbsp black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
• 20 curry leaves
• 200 g shallots, finely sliced
• 6 garlic cloves
• 4 fresh green chillies, slit
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 200 g tomatoes, roughly chopped

Method

1. 1

   Heat the coconut oil in a large, deep pan over a medium-high heat. Add the curry leaves and shallots and fry for 6–8 minutes until the shallots are golden and softened.

2. 2

   Crush the garlic and add to the pan along with the green chillies, turmeric and crushed black peppercorns. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until fragrant.

3. 3

   Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, mashing them down to form a thick paste.

4. 4

   Add the crab pieces and toss well to coat in the spice paste. Pour in the coconut milk and stir gently.

5. 5

   Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15–18 minutes, turning the crab halfway through, until cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Serve with steamed rice or hoppers.