Traditional Bengali Style Crab Meat Recipe

Being surrounded by water bodies, the Bengalis grew weaknesses for various types of fishes, snails and crabs. The crabs were regularly cooked in the Bengali households in the past but nowadays due to busy working schedules as well as lack of the knowledge to prepare crab meat, most of the Bengalis are enjoying crab preparations in restaurants or on sea beach vacations.

But, on the contrary, making a crab curry is not hard at all if you know the steps very well.

First of all, let us explain about selecting a good quality crab from the market following the steps to make it ready for cooking and how to cook.

How to select a good quality crab?

• Choose the crabs kept in a dry place.
• The crab should be actively moving.
• Go for the crab which has a firm belly rather than a soft belly.
• Choose crabs with dull shells.
• Fresh crabs should be odourless.

You can order crab meat online, from Big Basket.

How to clean a crab for cooking?

• Immerse the crab in hot water and let it remain for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Take a toothbrush and clean the mud from the leg parts and the main body part.
• Take a heavy blunt object (in my house we take the help of the shil nora or stone mortar and pestle) and break away the legs from the body part. You can break the body part into two halves for ease of cooking.
• Drain any excess water from the shell of the crab and remove the stomach sac and hard membranes inside the shell.
• Apply salt and turmeric powder on the separated parts and keep aside for cooking.

Ingredients needed for preparing the crab curry

• Crab – 1.5 kg
• Onions – 6 large
• Garlic – 1.5 or 20 to 22 cloves
• Ginger Paste – 1.5 – 2 teaspoons
• Tomato – 1.5
• Green Chillies – 2-3
• Red Chilli Powder – Taste-wise
• Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder – 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder – 1 teaspoon
• Salt – Taste-wise
• Sugar – ½ teaspoon
• Water – 1 ½ cup
• Mustard oil – 3 to 4 tablespoons
• Garam Masala powder– 1 teaspoon

For Tempering

• Bay Leaves – 2
• Green Cardamom – 2
• Cloves – 2
• Cinnamon – ½ stick

Related: Traditional Bengali Basanti Pulao Recipe

How to Cook Crab Meat

Now that our preparation is over, let’s see how to how to cook crab meat.

Cut 4 onions into small slices.

Grind the tomato, garlic cloves and 2 onions in a mixer. Keep aside.

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed wok, put in the bay leaves, green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and shallow fry the crab pieces until a colour comes in them. Keep the fried pieces aside.

In the same oil, put in the onion slices, green chillies and fry till golden brown. Now add in the ground paste and keep stirring. When the oil will start separating, add in the ginger paste and stir again. Add red chilli powder and Kashmiri red chilli powder. Keep folding and mixing till the oil separates from the gravy and a cooked aroma comes out. Add in the fried crab pieces, salt, turmeric powder. Mix well and keep adding water to mix the crab pieces with the gravy well. Simmer, close the lid and boil the crab pieces in the gravy until done. Add sugar and garam masala powder and blend in with a ladle.

Switch off the gas oven. Give a standing time of 10 minutes before serving the curry with a plate of piping hot rice.

What more? Have a sumptuous lunch. Laze on the bed with a good book until a siesta comes in by!!

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When I shifted to New Town, the budding outskirts of our Kolkata, I found it to be a really peaceful and clean place to reside. However, the gastronome in me was disheartened to the core of the heart – forget about a star cuisine, this place lacked the options for street food (which Kolkata is famous for).  But, that was in 2013, and now we are blessed with restaurants like 6 Ballygunge Place, Throttle Shrottle, Traffic Gastropub, Orient, Country Roads and many more.

Poila Baisakh is knocking at our door, the festival during which the Bengalis cherish traditional culinary delights, so, why not dedicate this week to the food lovers?

How Is The Ambiance Of 6 Ballygunge Place New Town?

Located at Ecosuite Business Tower, Action Area II, New Town 6 Ballygunge Place Rajarhat is spread over 6000 square feet (shares the space with The Wall) and has the seating capacity of 84.  

From the moment you enter this place, you will get a vibe of traditional Bengali environment. The wooden door, the waiting area, the wall paintings, the furniture, and the cutleries – everything will remind you of an era when the rich Zamindars of Kolkata used to welcome their revered guests with splendour, where every artefact reflected the warmth of the refined lady of the house, who used to supervise each minute detail with the eye of an eagle.

6 Ballygunge Place has their branches in Salt Lake, Ballygunge and various other locations of Kolkata, but the ambience of the 6 Ballygunge Place New Town is something to really cherish.

Without any exaggeration, we can say that the Bengali culinary skills are one of the best and 6 Ballyygunge Place does absolute justice to the age-old dishes. In fact, they have gone a step ahead and have added some delicious, creative dishes to their menu.

What’s On The Menu Of 6 Ballygunge Place New Town?

You can go for their buffet, which is available every day of the week and at a reasonable cost (INR 585 to INR 740, excluding tax). The sumptuous buffet mostly includes a number of options – fish, mutton, chicken, rice, luchi, and sweets along with other dishes.

However, we personally prefer going for the ala-carte menu as we cannot think of visiting 6 Ballygunge Place and not eating Gondhoraj Chicken and Dhakai Pora Mangsho with Steam Rice.

You might be laughing at me for this but even if you do not have an appetite for a starter, try one (most are good, depending on your preference of non-veg and veg) for the sauce at least. It is a dhaniya (coriander leaves) sauce, but the fresh aroma of mustard is so enticing that no one can escape it!

Some of the most recommended dishes

Shukto –  Bengali bhoj has to start with a teto (bitter tasting items)* but if the teto is like 6 Ballygung Places’ teto, you will crave to start with it.

RELATED: Shukto From MIL’s Kitchen  – To know more on hot to cook this heathy starter at home.

Jhuri Alubhaja – It’s the authentic Bengali alu bhaja (potato fries) and the quantity is pretty good.

Narkel Postor Bora – Finely grated coconut adds to the charm of the postor (poppy seeds) bora from Ma’s kitchen.

Steamed Aam Kasundi Murgi – Chicken perfectly blended with kasundi and is a steamed preparation. A must try for diet-freaks. 

Bhetki Paturi – Soft and juicy and surely one of the best that I had till date.

Pur Bhora Doi Potol – Another traditional dish with a contemporary touch is a must try for the veg lovers. (My hubby is pointed gourd/potol lover, so thankfully we had got the opportunity to taste this dish and we don’t regret doing it). 

Hilsa – if you have those sudden cravings for Hilsa in the summers and you know you won’t get it in the market, just give a call to 6 Ballygunge Place and pick any of their Hilsa preparations to whet your appetite.

Dhakai Pora Mangsho – As already mentioned, it is highly recommended if you love spicy gravy of mutton. The texture of the gravy is picture perfect.

Dhonepata Chicken – If you prefer chicken instead of mutton and crab, you must try this.

Daab Chingri  – This delectable recipe of Chingri with a perfect fusion of Daaber Saansh (tender coconut pulp)is one of the most recommended dishes of the 6 Ballygunge Place.

We love to end this sumptuous meal with a “Nolen gurer ice cream” and we would highly recommend it.

What About The Staff?

The entire charm of this restaurant is enhanced by the cordial and supportive staff. They are always there at your service with a smile on their face. But, due to the extreme rush in the weekends, sometimes they are overburdened and you might tend to think, “this is not how they are on other days.”

So, if you are really looking forward to eat out on the Poila Baishakh surrounded by a traditionally Bengali ambience, the 6 Ballygunj Place, Newtown can be your sought-after destination. Bon Appetit!!

Address:

ECOSUITE BUSINESS TOWER, 1st Floor, Plot No-II, D/22, AA II, New, Town, Kolkata, West Bengal 700157

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