Curry Crab and Dumpling

Name: Curry Crab and Dumpling
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Trinidadian
Ingredients: Blue crabs, 4 cleaned and cut in half; Curry powder (Chief or Turban brand), 3 tablespoons; Coconut milk, 1 cup; Onion, 1 large finely chopped; Chadon beni (culantro), 6 leaves chopped; Garlic, 4 cloves minced; Scotch bonnet pepper, 1 whole (keep whole to control heat); Vegetable oil, 3 tablespoons; All-purpose flour, 2 cups for dumplings; Salt, 1 teaspoon plus extra to taste

Curry Crab and Dumpling/KUR-ee krab and DUM-pling/

About this dish

Blue crab simmered in curry with coconut milk, served with soft boiled dumplings.

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History & Origin

A Tobago specialty that spread across Trinidad, curry crab and dumpling is a messy, hands-on feast closely tied to the islands' East Indian indentured labor heritage.

Ingredients

🦀Blue crabs, 4 cleaned and cut in half

🍛Curry powder (Chief or Turban brand), 3 tablespoons

🥥Coconut milk, 1 cup

🧅Onion, 1 large finely chopped

🌿Chadon beni (culantro), 6 leaves chopped

🧄Garlic, 4 cloves minced

🌶️Scotch bonnet pepper, 1 whole (keep whole to control heat)

🫚Vegetable oil, 3 tablespoons

🌾All-purpose flour, 2 cups for dumplings

🧂Salt, 1 teaspoon plus extra to taste

Method

Serves 4

Season the cleaned crabs with half the minced garlic, chadon beni, salt, and 1 tablespoon of curry powder. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.

Mix the remaining curry powder with a little water to form a paste. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, add the onion and remaining garlic and sauté until soft and golden, about 5 minutes.

Add the curry paste to the pot and cook it down for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn. This blooming step is key to building deep flavour.

Add the seasoned crabs to the pot and stir to coat them in the curry. Pour in the coconut milk and enough water to just cover the crabs, then add the whole scotch bonnet pepper. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the curry cooks, make the dumplings by mixing flour and salt with enough water to form a firm but pliable dough. Pinch off small pieces and roll them between your palms into little logs or balls, then flatten them slightly.

Drop the dumplings directly into the simmering curry pot for the last 15 minutes of cooking. They are done when they float and are cooked through with no raw doughy centre.

Taste the curry and adjust salt as needed, then remove the whole scotch bonnet before serving. Serve hot in deep bowls with extra chadon beni sprinkled on top.

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