Kore pou gali Stir-fried yellow curried crabs

Kore pou gali Stir-fried yellow curried crabs
This seafood curry is a stir-fry rather than the more usual stewed dish. The fierce
cooking heat elevates the aromas of the herbs and spices, caramelizing their
natural sugars and intensifying the overall flavor of the dish. Kore Pou Gali is
prepared using small, rice-paddy-raised freshwater crabs, but any small crabs will
do as long as they are halved or quartered to allow the curry flavors to mingle with
the natural juices of the crabmeat. The dish is a perfect appetizer or light lunch
served with steamed sticky rice and pickled vegetables (p283). As with many
laotian foods, this can be served at room temperature and eaten with the hands.
Some lao cooks make this curried crab using only Indian curry powder; others use
a fresh curry paste such as the one called for here; and still others combine the
two. These approaches betray the cultural underpinnings of laotian food. Equally
delicious stir-fries can be made using cut-up lobster, clams, or mussels.
ingredients
1/4 cup vegetable oil
5 tbsp laotian Kore (opposite) or store-bought
Thai curry paste
1 tsp Indian curry powder (optional)
8 small crabs, about 8 oz (225 g) each,
halved or quartered
2 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally
method
Heat the oil in a wok over high heat and stir-fry the curry paste for about 5 minutes or until golden
and fragrant. Add the curry powder, if using, and stir-fry to blend well.
Reduce the heat to moderate and add the pieces of crab, tossing them to coat each piece with the
curry paste. Cover the wok and cook for 5 minutes. Toss the crabs again and cook, covered, for a
further 5 minutes.
Transfer the crabs to a serving platter and garnish with the green onions.