Jaffna Crab Curry ~ My Sri Lanka with Peter Kuruvita

Luck comes in threes they say. And this week I’ve had 1, 2, 3 pieces of luck – with Chef Peter Kuruvita and his new SBS show My Sri Lanka with Peter Kuruvita.

1. Firstly SBS were kind enough to invite me to the 2011 2012 program launch. Lots of fascinating new shows are on their way. One of them, My Sri Lanka with Peter Kuruvita combines breath-taking locations and scenery with spectacular spicy fare in a captivating, brand new ten-part series exclusive to SBS One. After previewing the whole series I suggest you tune in from week one.

2. At the launch at Chef Peter Kuruvita’s (in itself) restaurant with spectacular views – Flying Fish, SBS and Chef were kind enough to invite me for a private cookery class the following Monday morning. How do you fancy Jaffa Crab curry for breakfast? Somehow I managed to devour (and savour) a whole mud crab following the class.

3. Last but not least, Peter Kuruvita has shared the recipe with you. I know you love recipes. Here it is. It’s a recipe from his upcoming series which premieres Thursday 3 November.

Jaffna Crab Curry

2 live mud crabs, about 1.2kg (2lb 12 oz each)
400ml (14 fl oz) coconut milk
1 ball of tamarind – golf ball size
1 tablespoon Jaffna curry powder
1 tablespoon chilli powder
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
50g (1 3/4oz) ghee
1 Spanish onion sliced
1 sprig curry leaves, leaves picked
3 small green chillies, finely chopped
1/2 litre water
1 sprig of drumstick leaves
Juice of 1/2 limes

Put the crabs in the freezer for 1 hour to immobilise them. Pull off th top shells, pull out the spongy grey gills and remove the guts. Chop the crab into 6 pieces, then crack the large claws but leave them attached.

Roast the cumin seeds, coconut and pepper till the coconut is golden brown. Grind to a smooth past and put aside. Heat the ghee in a large heavy saucepan over high heat, add the mustard seeds till they start to pop, then add the fennel for a few minutes or until the onions are golden. Add the curry powder, chilli powder and turmeric mix in and add the crab and cook for another 3 minutes, at this stage you need to stir it a lot so the spices don’t burn. Then add the coconut mixture, stir and add the water. If the curry is too dry add more water.

Cover and simmer 12 minutes or until crab is just cooked through and sauce has thickened. Stir in the drumstick leaves, lime juice and season to taste with salt.

Chef Peter Kuruvita’s culinary love affair began at a young age in the beautiful surrounds of Sri Lanka. The Kuruvita family’s wood-fired kitchen in vibrant Colombo was where Peter’s grandmother first patiently taught him the intricacies of Sri Lankan cuisine. In My Sri Lanka with Peter Kuruvita, Peter revisits his familial homeland, exploring kitchens, restaurants and eateries across the country, the following childhood recollections and discovering traditional Sri Lankan recipes along the way. Propelled by personal anecdotes, local ingredients and ancient attractions, Peter travels from his childhood hometown of Colombo during the colourful celebrations for the Kelaniya Perahera festival, to the pristine eastern beaches of Arugam Bay before eventually concluding the series in the previously war-torn northern Jaffna Peninsula.