A delicacy like no other..

As the city enjoys the arrival of the Seafood season, fishermen all over are on a fishing spree to find fresh seafood from the treasures of the ocean. We at The Westin Mumbai Garden City are in the midst of a Crab Carnival to entice the taste buds of seafood lovers. Each venue will feature signature recipes in consonance with its cuisine specialty. Crab meat is delicious and can be made into dainty nibbles, tasty appetizers, a snack or even as an entree. Relish the mouth-watering fare.

Our Executive Sous Chef Rahul Dhavale gives an insight into the fascinating world of crab delicacies and has shared some appetizing recipes of various crab dishes. Try these recipes in your very own kitchen and share your experience with us.

Tagliolini con granchio                                                                          

(Tagliolini, whole mud crab, cherry tomato, capers)

Recipe serves: 01 portion

Ingredients                                      Quantity

For Tagliolini dough (04 portions)

(Tagliolini is thin ribbon shaped long pasta and due to use of only egg yolks the pasta will be yellowish in color.)

Refined Flour                                     500 gm

Olive oil                                               10 ml

Egg yolks                                             20 nos

For sauce

Mud crab                                             1 whole

Olive oil                                               10 ml

Chopped onions                                10 gm

Cherry tomatoes                               10 gm

Capers                                                  5 gm

Bisque or seafood stock                  80 ml

Salt                                                        To taste                               

Pepper                                                  To taste

Lettuce arugula                                10 gm 

Method of preparation:

To make Tagliolini dough

1. Break 20 eggs in a clean bowl and separate egg yolks from them. Reserve egg whites separately.
2. Sieve refined flour in a mixing bowl, make a well in the centre, add olive oil and egg yolks to it.
3. Start to mix the ingredients slowly. Knead the dough with hands or a dough mixer.
4. Once the dough is ready, cover the dough with cling film and keep it for resting for approximately 30 minutes in refrigerator.
5. Make tagliolini with the dough using a pasta machine.

To make Tagliolini con granchio

1. Put a pot of water for boiling enough to immerse the mud crab.
2. Once the water starts to boil, cook the live mud crab in the boiling water for 20 minutes.
3. Remove the crab from water and shell it. Leave the claws for garnish at the end.
4. Remove rest of the crab meat from the crab carefully ensuring the crab shells don’t get mixed with the meat.
5. Now over a medium flame, heat olive oil in a pan.
6. Sauté chopped onions and allow it to sweat. Add capers and put the crab meat to the pan along with bisque/stock.
7. Prepare the sauce adding cherry tomato halves to the pan.
8. In the mean while cook a portion of tagliolini in salted boiling water (ensure the pasta is cooked a la dente, (firm to the tooth, just about 3 – 4 minutes).
9. Once the crab sauce is ready, season it and add the cooked tagliolini to the sauce.
10. Toss the pasta well ensuring the pasta is well coated with the sauce.
11. Finish it with fresh arugula lettuce and olive oil. Check and adjust seasoning.
12. Place it gently on a serving plate and garnish with the crab claws.

Crab salt and pepper

Recipe serves: 01 portion

Ingredients                                                      Quantity

Crab, cleaned and shelled                            350 gms

Corn flour                                                            60 gms

Green capsicum, chopped                            10 gms 

Red capsicum, chopped                                 10 gms

Yellow capsicum, chopped                           10 gms

Green chili, chopped                                       10 gms

Spring onion, chopped                                   10 gms

Ginger, chopped                                               10 gms

Garlic, chopped                                                 10 gms

Oil vegetable                                                     for deep-frying +20 ml

Chicken broth powder                                    5 gms

Salt                                                                        to taste

Powder white pepper                                     to taste

Black peppercorns, crushed                         to taste

Wine cooking Chinese (optional)               20 ml

Method of preparation:

1. Coat Crab meat with corn flour, deep fry until cooked and strain on absorbent kitchen paper.
2. Heat 20 ml oil in a wok/kadhai, sauté all chopped vegetables.    
3. Add fried crab meat pieces & seasonings, toss well with chopped vegetables. 
4. Finish with Chinese wine (optional).  

Crab Masala

Recipe serves: 01 portion

Ingredients                                                                      Quantity

Crabs cut into halves (with shell on)                        250 gm
Garlic pods, crushed                                                       10gm
Ginger, chopped                                                                5gm
Green chilies, (slit)                                                          2 no
Tamarind pulp or paste                                                 10ml
Tomato, (chopped)                                                          2 no
Onions, chopped                                                              2 no
Curry leaves                                                                       1 sprig
Dry red chilly                                                                     1 no
Garam masala powder                                                   1 tsp
Turmeric powder                                                              1/2 tsp
Chili powder red                                                               1/2 tsp
Salt                                                                                        to taste

Oil vegetable                                                                     15 ml
Water                                                                                    300 ml
Coriander leaves                                                               to finish

Method of preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan; add curry leaves and red chili, Add ginger and garlic and sauté.
2. Add chopped onions and cook until translucent, add green chilies, turmeric and salt, stir and cover for 2 minutes on a slow flame
3. Add tamarind pulp and cook for 2 min.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, crab pieces and mix well, add water to cook on low heat for 30 minutes, until the crab is cooked. Adjust seasoning.
5. Finish with Garam masala and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.