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Trinidad and Tobago · Blue Crab

Tobago Curry Crab

Curry Crab and Dumpling

Tobago’s signature plate, sold hot from the stalls at Store Bay: crabs simmered in a coconut curry heavy with green seasoning, served with big, chewy flour dumplings to soak it all up.

  • Prep 30 min + 30 min marinate
  • Cook 35 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Medium
Photo: Neil1422 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Served with: Tobago Boiled Dumplings ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the crab

For the curry

Method

Step by step, the way it is done on the island.

  1. Clean the crabs. Chill the crabs in ice water 15 minutes until still. Pull off the top shell and remove the gills and guts, scrub, and split each body in half. Rub with lime and rinse.
  2. Marinate. Toss the crabs with the green seasoning and salt. Let them sit 30 minutes.
  3. Burn the curry. Mix the curry powder and geera with ¼ cup water to a paste. Heat the oil in a large pot, cook the onion and garlic 3 minutes, then add the curry paste and fry 3–4 minutes, stirring, until it darkens and the oil separates.
  4. Simmer the crab. Add the crabs and stir to coat. Pour in the coconut milk and water, add the thyme and whole pepper, cover and simmer 20–25 minutes, stirring now and then, until the shells are bright red and the sauce has thickened.
  5. Serve. Season with salt, stir in the shadow beni and serve the crab and curry ladled over Tobago dumplings.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Photo coming soon
Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago

Tobago Boiled Dumplings

Dumplings

Long, flat flour dumplings boiled until chewy and tender. In Tobago they are the must-have partner for curry crab and stewed fish at Store Bay.

  • Prep 15 min
  • Cook 15 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup fine cornmeal (optional)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp butter, softened
  • ¾ cup water (about)

How to make it

  1. Make the dough. Mix the flour, cornmeal, salt and baking powder, and rub in the butter. Add water a little at a time to make a firm, smooth dough. Knead 3 minutes and rest 10 minutes.
  2. Shape. Pinch off pieces the size of a golf ball. Roll each into a log, then flatten it into a long tongue shape about 5 inches (12 cm) long and ¼ inch (5 mm) thick.
  3. Boil. Drop into a big pot of boiling salted water. Cook 12–15 minutes until they float and are cooked through.
  4. Serve. Lift out with a slotted spoon and serve hot, with plenty of curry or stew sauce spooned over.

More ways to cook Blue Crab

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Salvador, Bahia, BrazilBrazilian Stuffed Crab Shells
Ebro Delta, Catalonia, SpainEbro Delta Blue Crab Rice
Matanzas, CubaCuban Crab in Creole Sauce
Baltimore, MarylandMaryland Lump Crab Cakes