Asia Unplated

Ingredients
1 mud crab, around 1 kg
2 stalks curry leaf
1 tablespoon jaffna curry powder
1 red onion, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup ghee
2 teaspoon turmeric powder
For the paste: 1 tablespoon ginger
For the paste: 4 garlic cloves
For the paste: 3 shallots
For the paste: 4 small dry red chillies
For the paste: 2 tablespoon cumin seeds
For the paste: 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
For the naan bread: 2 1/2 to 3 cups plain flour
For the naan bread: 1/4 cup yogurt
For the naan bread: 1 egg
For the naan bread: 1/3 cup oil
For the naan bread: 2 tablespoon yeast
For the naan bread: 1 teaspoon sugar
For the naan bread: 1/2 cup warm water
For the naan bread: 1/2 teaspoon salt
Method
To make the paste: toast the spices and grind to powder. Blitz the remaining paste ingredients and add the spices. Add oil to lubricate if needed.
In a wok, add the ghee and heat, then add the curry leaves, then add the onions and paste. Cook until soft and aromatic.
Add jaffna curry powder and turmeric powder, cook until aromatic and fragrant.
Add the coconut milk and season with sugar and salt. Bring to the boil then add the crab.
Bring back to the boil, cover with lid and cook the crab for 15-20 minutes or until crab is cooked. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice.
Remove and serve with naan bread.
For the naan bread: mix the yeast, sugar and water and set aside.
In a bowl mix egg and yogurt together.
In another bowl mix 2 cups of flour and salt.
Pour the activated yeast mix into the flour mix and add the egg and yogurt mix. Knead together, adding more flour as needed. Dough should come together as a smooth ball. Leave for an hour to proof.
Take out of bowl and knead for another 5-10 minutes. Divide into 8 balls and roll flat.
Heat pan with a little oil and cook naan bread. Keep naan bread wrapped in a tea towel to keep warm.

Diana Chan
Diana Chan won MasterChef Australia in 2017 with a precision-led repertoire built on Malaysian-Chinese home cooking. She hosts Asia Unplated, a tour through regional kitchens that treats the home cooks as the experts. Her recipes lean technical without losing the household feel they came from.

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