A mouthwatering recipe for Thai-style crab curry from the perennially popular Blue Elephant restaurant.
Born amongst the bustling floating markets of Chachoengsao province, Chef Nooror Somany Steppe has always enjoyed a deep link with the culinary world. Her passion for Thai cooking was inspired by her mother, an established cook and well known for her delicious homemade curries. Chef Nooror’s mother taught her the culinary art, along with her secret recipes at an early age.
Chef Nooror’s Blue Elephant restaurants have been recognised by Michelin as “a stalwart of the Bangkok culinary scene,” and today she will share how to make one of Blue Elephant’s most popular dishes: rich and aromatic crab curry with betel leaves.
Crab Curry with Betel Leaves
Ingredients for curry paste:
3 pieces Dried bird eye’s chilli
4 pieces Bird’s eye chilli
6 pieces Chilli
1 tablespoon Lemongrass
½ tablespoon Galangal
1 tablespoon Fresh turmeric
1 tablespoon Shallot
1 tablespoon Garlic
1 tablespoon Lesser ginger
½ teaspoon Roasted pepper
½ tablespoon Shrimp paste
1 teaspoon Kaffir lime’s skin
Preparation:
1. In a mortar, pound all ingredients until they become a smooth paste.
Ingredients for curry:
2 cups Coconut milk
10 leaves Betel leaves
1 leaf Kaffir lime leaves
½ tablespoon Palm sugar
1 tablespoon Fish sauce
5 pieces Sweet basil leaves
80 grams Crab meat
1½ tablespoon Vegetable oil
Preparation:
1. In a saucepan on medium heat, add vegetable oil and the prepared curry paste. Stir-fry the paste until an aroma develops.
2. Add coconut milk bit by bit, three times, and then bring to a boil.
3. Add the remaining coconut milk, bring to a boil and then add seasoning.
4. Add betel leaves and steamed crab. Turn off the heat.
5. Pour into a serving bowl, garnished with sweet basil leaves. Serve with cooked rice noodle vermicelli.
6. Enjoy!
For more on Blue Elephant:
Blue Elephant Cooking School & Restaurant Bangkok, BTS station, 233 S Sathon Rd, Yan Nawa Sathon, Surasak, Bangkok 10120
*Food delivery is now available from Blue Elephant in Bangkok.
Tel: 0 2673 9354
(Blue Elephant also has locations in Phuket, Malta and Copenhagen.)
