Crab Masala (Dhaba Style)

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In four years of engineering I spend lot of nights traveling from home to hostel and back. We had only one govt bus every night taking us back and forth between the 2 towns. It would stop at Chilika Dhaba in Balugaon a small town. They served the most delicious crab masala. Everything in the menu was delicious. 
So today I tried to recreate the yummy crab masala, it was quite close, still would love to go back to the place and enjoy the authentic crab masla at the Chilika Dhaba.
Ingredients:
  1. Crab: 2 legs ( I used the precooked crab legs that I got from costco, but you can use fresh crab)
  2. Cinnamon : 1/2 inch stick
  3. Bay leave: 1
  4. Cardamon: 2-3 whole
  5. Onion: 1 medium finely chopped
  6. Ginger Garlic Paste: 2 tbsp
  7. Tomato: 1 medium finely chopped
  8. Red Chilli Powder: 1 tbsp
  9. Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp
  10. Coriander Powder: 1 tbsp
  11. Cumin Powder: 1/2 tbsp
  12. Meat Masala: 1 tbsp
  13. Salt : as per taste
  14. Oil: 2 tbsp
Procedure:
Thaw the crab legs.
Add a pinch of salt and 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder to the crab legs.
Heat oil in a kadhai and add the crab legs and fry for 4-5 mins or till the skin turns reddish.
Remove the crab legs and add bay leaf, cardamon and cinnamon stick to the kadhai and fry for a min and add the chopped onion with a pinch of salt and let the onions sweat.
In the meanwhile, if the crab legs are cool enough to handle, break them into smaller pieces, about 3 piece each.
As the onions turn translucent, add the red chilli powder and cook till the raw smell of the red chilli powder is gone, but be careful it car burn rather quickly.
Add the ginger-garlic paste to the kadhai and cook stiring occasianly till the raw smell is gone.
Add the turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, chopped tomato and salt to taste, mix well, reduce the heat, cover and cook till the tomatoes are mushy.
Remove the lid and cook the masala till oil is separated, add the crab legs and meat masala powder to the masala and mix well.
And keep cooking for another 4-5 mins mixing frequently. 
Add 1/2 cup of water cover the lid and cook for another minute or two. This is only to make sure the spices get into the meat.
Remove the lid and cook till all the water dries up.

Serve it hot with naan, roti or paratha and enjoy.
Till then Happy Blogging
Rakhee

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