Madras Crab Curry

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 whole star anise pod, crushed
• 3 whole black peppercorns
• 3 dried chile peppers
• 3/4 teaspoon urad dal
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 large red onions, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 2 teaspoons ground red chile pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• salt to taste
• 2 cups water, divided
• 3 ripe plum tomatoes, pureed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3/4 cup grated fresh coconut
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1 pod tamarind, soaked in warm water, juice extracted
• 6 crabs, cleaned

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise, and peppercorns; cook and stir until spices start to pop. Add dried chile peppers, urad dal, and fennel seeds; cook until dal starts turning golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Stir onions, garlic, and ginger into the pot. Cook and stir until garlic just starts to turn golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add garam masala, chile powder, turmeric, and salt; cook 1 minute more.
3. Stir 1 cup of water, tomato puree, and tomato paste into the pot. Cook until tomato puree thickens, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 cup water, coconut, and coconut milk. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; stir in tamarind juice.
4. Bring curry back to a boil. Reduce heat to low; add crabs to the pot. Cook over medium-low heat until crabmeat is opaque, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand until crabs absorb curry flavors, about 2 hours.

vegetable oil, cinnamon, cloves, anise, black peppercorns, chile peppers, urad dal, fennel seeds, red onions, garlic, fresh ginger root, garam masala, ground red chile pepper, ground turmeric, salt, water, tomatoes, tomato paste, fresh coconut, coconut milk, tamarind, crabs

Taken from www.allrecipes.com/recipe/258093/madras-crab-curry/ (may not work)