I looked everywhere on the internet for mixed seafood curry recipe but could not find one. So I just made up a version with a few ideas I saw along the way and the type of flavours I was in the mood for!
We rarely eat crab curry because it’s too messy and sometimes not substantial enough on its own because it’s all shell and gravy? You know what I mean? But we do love the flavours. This curry is the best of a “number of worlds” as the prawns, scallop and squid are easy to eat, are delicious and much more substantial….and really benefit from the crab flavoured sauce that is created.
We ate the prawns, squid and scallops first and then the the crab with our hands and. Finger bowl at the end!
The addition of tamarind pulp and classic South Indian spices adds the zingy tartness melding together into a really delicious curry that is. I think this dish is about to be known as Amazing Seafood and bound to be a favourite in our house.
If you want to make this without the crab, best to put shellfish first and add after quicker cooking fish etc later. Good luck ..easy to experiment and it will still be delicious!
Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes
Perfect for dinner for 2 with salad.
- Ingredients
- 1 blue swimmer crab cleaned and cut into pieces, legs pulled off
- 6-8 green prawns shelled and deveined
- 8-10 scallops
- 3 baby squid/calamari
- 2 ripe tomatoes
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 pieces cinammon bark/ half a quill
- 1/2 teaspoon cummin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- Large handful of fresh curry leaves (or 2 bay leaves)
- 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (optional)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon cummin powder
- 4-5 cloves of garlic
- Equal amount of fresh ginger to garlic
- 1-2 red chillies
- 1,5 teaspoons tamarind puree
- 1-1.5cups water
- Salt
- 3tablespoons Vegetable oil
- Coriander to garnish
Method:
1. Clean crab and cut into pieces, peel and devein prawns.
2. Cuts a baby squid into strips, place in bowl with 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon of cumin powder, 1/4 teaspoon chilli powder and 1/2 tablespoon oil, mix and leave to marinate as you prepare other ingredients.
3. Crush ginger, garlic and red chillies into a paste.
4. Peel onion and dice finely. Dice tomatoes.
5. Heat oil in heavy based pan (use a pan or pot with a lid) over medium heat, Add cinnamon bark, 2/3 of the curry leaves, cummin seeds and fennel seeds and heat gently until fragrant.
6. Add onions and cook slowly until translucent.
7.Add 3/4 teaspoon each of cummin powder, turmeric and chilli powder and mix through onions to heat through, then add fenugreek seeds if using, add in tomatoes and 1 teaspoon salt.
8. Cook tomatoes for about 5 minutes until they begin to break down, add 1/4 cup of water and tamarind purée. Bring mixture back to simmer.
9. Add the crab to the tomato mixture and coat the crab in the sauce. Place lid on the pot and allow crabs to simmer for 10 minutes or so, add another 1/4 cup of water to stop mixture sticking.
10. Heat grill in oven, place squid on a oven tray covered in baking paper and grill squid for 5-8 minutes, turning over once until browned and cooked. Remove from oven and reserve.
11. Add prawns to carb mixture, checking to make sure sauce isn’t sticking but not adding too much more water unless needed. Allow prawns to cook for about 3 minutes, then add scallops and allow to simmer for another 3-4 minutes. The sauce should be saucy but not too watery. Add another 1/4-1/2 cup water if needed though. Taste to see if additional salt needed.
12. Scatter over squid and put lid back on for a minute or two to allow squid to just heat up.s
13. Garnish curry with another hand of fresh curry leaves , chopped coriander. Serve with rice, roti and salad.
