Coconut Masala Curry (Tondak)

This is my take on the Goan Crab recipe. Serve with rice or dosas. Tastes better if cooked at least 4 to 5 hours before serving. You can also make a veg version of the same - refer alternate recipes below.

Ingredients:

Tondak Masala Paste:-

black peppercorns -1/4 tsp
Red chilies - 4
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
1/2 cup - sliced onion
4 cloves
1 cup fresh grated or frozen coconut
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
tamarind - 1 small ball
garlic - 2 cloves
ginger - 1/2 tsp, grated
1 tbsp oil


Tondak Base (Crab): -
1 Dungeness crab - cleaned and cut into pieces
2 - Garlic cloves, chopped.
small piece of Ginger, chopped.
1/2 tsp - turmeric
1 tsp - red chili powder
1/2 cup rough chopped red onion
1 cup water
Salt to taste

2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup fine chopped red onion


Method:

Tondak Masala Paste:-

• Dry roast coriander seeds and peppercorns. Keep aside.
• Add little oil to the same pan and roast cloves and red chilies. Keep aside.
• Add onions to the same pan and fry till pink.
• Add coconut, ginger and garlic and stir till coconut changes color slightly.
• Turn the heat off and add turmeric and stir.

• Grind all the roasted ingredients adding tamarind and water.

Tondak Base (Crabs):-

• Add oil to a pan. Add small chopped onion and fry till almost brown.
• Mix crabs, garlic, ginger,red chili powder, turmeric, rough chopped onion, water and salt and add to the pan.
• Boil for about 2-4 mins till the crabs are done and onion cooked.

Cooking Tondak: -

• Pour the ground tondak masala paste over the cooked tondak base mixture and bring to a boil.
• Add water to adjust the consistency of the gravy and add more salt if required.

ALTERNATE RECIPE

Ingredients:

Tondak Base (Veg) :-
3/4 cup Pulse ( Whole Masoor /Mung beans/ Red beans/ Chili Bean or any dry beans of your choice)
(Optional)1/2 cup veg chopped in big cubes ( use potato or raw banana or raw jack fruit or knol kohl/kohlrabi)
1 cup red onion - rough chopped
salt to taste

Tondak Masala Paste:- Same as above. Drop the garlic and ginger.

Method:

Tondak Masala Paste:- Same as above.

Tondak Base (Veg):-

• Add all the ingredients to a pressure cooker with a cup or more water as required and cook till pulses are done.

Cooking Tondak:- Same as above.