Kakrar Jhal | Bengali Style Crab Curry

 

14 April

এসো হে বৈশাখ এসো এসো  

পেছনে ফেলে, যত গ্লানি, যত ত্রাস,জীবাণুদের সন্ত্রাস, নিয়ে পূর্ণ চিত্ত হর্ষ - শুরু হোক এই নববর্ষ | 

শুভ নববর্ষের আন্তরিক প্রীতি ও শুভেচ্ছা সবাইকে |

Happy Poila Boishakh and Subho Noboborsho to my friends who are celebrating today. Hope we can finally beat Covid this year and establish health and happiness.

Can't believe a year has passed and this is the second time we are celebrating with restrictions. Pohela is the first day of the first month (Boishakh) of Bengali calendar. Hence, Pohela Boishakh is also known as Bengali New Year. Its all about celebrating the day with good food and new clothes.

 I remember when I was a kid, it was almost a custom to wear a new dress today, just like it is during the Durga Pujas. And thus a month before Poila boishakh there would be a sudden fervor of shopping. Every garments shop would put up lucrative offers for Chaitra Sale (Sale in the month of Chaitra). Chaitra Sale markets of Bengal had always been as vibrant as Christmas markets of the West or Black Friday Sale. People would line up and jostle with others to get the best bargains on their chosen products. 

Everyone would make elaborate plans on how they are going to deck up on this day. It was unimaginable if you didn't have a new dress on Poila Baishakh. Till I left my home, the custom was maintained. But I don't know from when I stopped buying new clothes specifically for today. Instead just wear a washed cloth and do the pooja. I think now a days we do so much shopping from all these e-commerce sites round the year, the fun and anticipation of waiting for a particular time to buy new dresses is gone.

The other important thing on Poila Boishakh is Halkhata. For Bengali traders and shop owners, Poila Boisakh is the haalkhata time – the auspicious day to open a new ledger. Its similar to the practice of Bahi-Khata elsewhere in India, which is usually done during the Laxmi Pooja on Diwali. This day is regarded as auspicious, hence many new businesses would start on these days and people would line up before these new shops to get their share of the sweet boxes or Sharbats being handed out. Now-a-days there are many modern ways to manage a ledger, hence the practice of Halkhata is kind of reduced to a customary thing.

And finally the most important part of this day is the food. Bengalis love to eat - I think is a a universal truth. They have 12 mashe 13 parbon ( the number of festivals exceed the number of months) and I think the Bengalis had made up all these festivals because they just wanted to have another occassion to eat good food and celebrate. Lunch and dinner on Poila Boishahkh mostly consist of the much loved non-vegetarian delicacies.

Fish is the most preferred and integral part of any Bengali on a Poila Baishak meal. Gondhoraj Bhetki, Sorshe ilish, Chingri Malaicurry, Macher Kalia - the entire horizon of fish recipes are on the menu in most homes. Apart from the fish delicacies, Kosha Mangsho is one of the other preferred things on the menu today. 

Owing to the semi lockdown situation this year and unavailability of fancy fishes, I decided to go for Crab curry or Kakrar Jhal which is also considered a delicacy in Bengal. The fragrant and rich curry is perfect for any festive occasions.

Preparation Time : 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 35  minutes

Serves - 2

Ingredients :

• Crab - 4 small (cleaned)
• Potato -  2 medium
• Onion - 1/2 medium, finely chopped
• Onion - 1 & 1/2 medium, paste
• Tomato - 1 medium, pureed
• Green Chilli - 3-4 medium, slit
• Ginger Paste - 1.5 tsp
• Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
• Cardamom - 2 (bruised)
• Cinnamon - 1 inch
• Bay Leaf - 1
• Coriander Powder - 1 & 1/2  tsp
• Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
• Red Chilli powder -1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
• Bengali garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp 
• Salt & sugar as per taste
• Mustard oil - 1/2 cup

Equipment:

• Non stick Kadai
• Spatula

Procedure: 

1.  Make a masala paste with turmeric , red chilli , coriander, cumin powder and a little water. Let it sit for sometime to become a thick paste.

2. Clean the Crabs and marinate it with a little salt and turmeric for 30 minutes.

Note: I usually get pre-cleaned crabs from the fish vendors.

3. Heat oil in a pan. Over medium high heat fry the potato chunks in mustard oil until golden and keep aside.

4. Fry the marinated crabs in the same oil for a minute. Keep aside.

5. In the same oil, add the bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon. Fry it till fragrant.

Tip: Bruise the cardamom, to make it more fragrant.

6. Add chopped onions. Fry till golden.

7. Now add onion and ginger garlic paste. Saute till the raw smell goes off. 

Tip: Add a little salt, it will help in frying the onions faster.

8. Add the spice paste made in step 1. Fry till it releases oil.

9. Now add the tomato paste. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or till the raw smell goes off.

10. Add the shallow fried Crabs, fried potatoes and slitted green chillies. Adjust the salt and sugar levels.

11. Add a pinch of Bengali Garam Masala. Cook till oil separates.

12. Now add hot water and given it a good mix. Cook till potatoes are done.

Your Kakrar Jhal is ready. Serve hot. Relish it with steamed rice or any flatbread.