Mumbai Food: Here's your guide to enjoy some delicious crabs

Here's a list of lip-smacking regional specialties from the home state that celebrate the crustacean in all its cracking glory

Pathare Prabhu's crab khad khad le
Cleaned crabs are cooked with roasted garlic, turmeric and chilli powder, but the secret of the recipe lies in the use of the Pathare Prabhu garam masala, says chef Kalpana Talpade which includes unique condiments like a dash of split bengal gram, black peppercorn and a pinch of asafoetida. The crab is slow-cooked in its own stew, so when the dish, better known as chim bori che khad khadle, is ready it's a juicy seafood delicacy that can be enjoyed on its own, despite the cumbersome task of cracking the crustacean open.

TILL September 11, 7 pm onwards
AT +91, Om Satyadeep Apartments, Vile Parle West
CALL 66921100
COST Rs 495

East Indian chimbori masala

Mumbaikars are no strangers to East Indian cuisine and their famous bottle masala is celebrated unanimously. Home chef Estella D'Souza uses that same masala to prepare a mean chimbori masala. She insists that cleaning the crabs thoroughly is pivotal and claims that the dish is neither too spicy, tangy or sweet, but rather a combination of subtle flavours. This delicacy is best enjoyed with rice and pickle or some good ol' handmade bread.

AT D'Souza Caterers, Powli Street, Bhayander West
CALL 9892604141; 9867054100 (orders need to be placed minimum 3 days in advance) COST Rs 1,500 (delivery charges will vary according to location)

CKP's chimbori kalvan

The CKPs, another community integral to the city, are known for their chimbori kalvan. Cleaned crabs are left to marinate in a mix of regular masalas and a paste unique to the community, revels its creator, Kanta Gupte. The claws are removed and ground to extract the juice which is added to the crab. Onion, dry coconut, and whole masalas are sautéed and made into another paste, which is added to pack the dish with a punch.

TIME 12 pm to 4 pm; 6 pm to 10 pm
AT CKP Zayka, Naupada, Thane West
CALL 8422051051
COST Rs 300

Koli's khekda masala

Pic/Datta Kumbhar

A telling of Mumbai's story is incomplete without including the fisherfolk community, better known as Kolis. These warm people dwell in sea-lining pockets around the city and are therefore naturally popular for their seafood preparations. Among those, the khekda masala stands out. It is made with salt water crabs that are seasoned with special masalas such as hirva watan, a combination of green chillis, coriander, ginger and garlic, and Koli masala, which consists of 26 spices.

TIME 11.30 am to 11.30 pm
AT Mi Hi Koli, Ajit Darshan, Thane West.
CALL 33126769
COST Rs 350

Malwani crab masala thali

The masaledar malvani crab masala curry makes use of three different kinds of chillies — Sankeshwari, ghati and Kashmiri — and is perfect for those who like their food spicy. The age-old dish gets its rich aroma from the crab, which is cooked in a curry. The masala is prepared with grated coconut, coriander, onion and a spice mix, giving the curry a rich texture. Pair this with rice, bakhri or wade to enjoy a wholesome lunch or opt for their thali which includes roti, salad, sukkha lehsun chutney and kokum with coconut milk.

TIME 12 pm to 3.30 pm; 7 pm to 10.30 pm
AT Acharekar's Malvan Katta, Janaki Nivas, Dadar West
CALL 24216923
COST Rs 195 (crab masala); Rs 285 (crab thali)

Agri crab sukka

The Agris are a community native to Mumbai and their food naturally has a coastal essence. At this eatery run by Jitesh Patil, the crab masala sukka is a quintessential Agri delicacy made with mud crabs that are cooked in onion and ginger garlic paste. The accentuated flavour comes from the use of whole spices and special Agri masalas, like mirchi, turmeric and garam masala. To add zing, the dish also makes use of lime and is finally garnished with coriander.

TIME 11 am to 4 pm; 7 pm to 1 am
AT Agri Malhari Katta, Hindustan Naka, Kandivali West
CALL 9702221889
COST Rs 200 to Rs 700

Crab mentality

• A Goan crab curry called xec xec with a tangy and sweet thick gravy is a must try.
  AT Fresh Catch, Mahim West 
  CALL 33951665
• Give the regular egg bhurji a miss and try the juicy crab bhurji instead. AT Matsya — The Saraswat Seafood, Goregaon West
  CALL 7506274814
• Gorge on the Mangalorean style crab thali and enjoy its tangy Pulimunchi curry.
  AT Southern Flavours Lunch Home, Santacruz West
  CALL 26460386

With inputs from Ahana Nagar

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