“Poo Phad Phong Curry”

When I was a little girl, my family moved away from Thailand. I remember my mom often mentioning how much she missed the stir-fry crab curry and she tried to replicate the flavours using all sorts of other kind of meat. You see, when we moved to India in 1997, seafood was not as easily available in the capital city, as it is now. She did try to pair a lot other kinds of meat but none tasted the same like the dish that she lovingly remembered; which did kinda make her home sick.

Anyway, she mastered the dish soon after (when seafood was available) and of course passed on the love for it to me. I have moved back to Thailand, where my heart always belonged and for that I owe it all to my parents. So, I can find this dish very easily and actually am a bit spoilt by the choices of crab meat or crab parts that they have to offer.

However, this recipe is my dedication to anyone out there who just like my mom is missing out on the authentic flavours of the yellow curry stir fry.

Here goes

Ingredients:-

1 medium-sized crab*

If you can find a pack of only crab claws that would make a lovely dish. You can also use a mix of crab parts like I did.

2 whole eggs
1 tin full fat milk (it is popular to use Bear Brand sterilized milk, in Thailand)
1 tsp Thai chilli paste
1 tbsp oil from the Thai chilli paste
1 tbsp cooking oil
2 tsp minced garlic
3-4 celery branches, chop into 2 inches
2 spring onions, only the leafy part, chop into 2 inches
1 large yellow onion, cut into large cubes
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 tsp sugar, optional
1/3 tsp black pepper
2 tsp curry powder
¾ cup water

Method:

Wash, clean and separate the parts of crab carefully. Steam for 8 minutes.
In a small mixing bowl, beat together the full fat milk, chilli paste, chilli paste oil, eggs and 1 tsp of curry powder. Set aside.
In a frying pan, heat oil and add the curry powder to it.
Quickly followed by garlic and onions. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add the already steamed crabs along with water. Cover with lid for a minute.
Now add in the remaining seasoning that is soya sauce, oyster sauce, and black pepper. Mix well.
Pour in the liquid from the mixing bowl. Allow the egg mixture to settle for 2 minutes before mixing the ingredients.
Finally throw in the celery branches and spring onions leaves. Give one last stir before putting onto a serving plate.

Enjoy!!