Help with recipe pls - softshell crab and cardamom

Clearing out the freezer today, I've pulled out two softshell crabs that need to be eaten. They're currently defrosting in the sink. Does anyone have a recipe please that involves baking them, rather than deep frying ?

Also, yesterday I bought the greenest, most gorgeous cardamom pods I've ever seen. Any suggestions what I should do with them ?

Many thanks !

Celia

Re: cardamom
Here's a recipe I've been looking for an excuse to make. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water:

Blood orange tart with cardamom cream

Thanks Howard ! That's one for my other half - I'll pass it onto him, he LOVES blood oranges. I was hoping for something savoury though, like the keema recipe I've just uncovered.

HI, Celia
Cardamom is often cooked in basmati rice in Indian cuisine. I've used it in rice along with saffron, cloves and pistachios. Very good to serve along with currys (of course) and other stews. Personally, I like it as a side with grilled salmon and a fruit salsa. As you know, cardamom is the underlying flavor in chai tea. On nights when I can't sleep I'll make a pot of chai for one: 1 C milk, 1 C water, 2-4 tbsp sugar, 2 cardamom seeds, 4 cloves, 1/2 cinnamon stick, 3-4 alspice berries (optional), chip of nutmeg. Simmer until well heated and sugar is dissolved. Add 1 Tbsp black tea and let steep for 3-5 minutes (depending on how you like the strength of your tea). Strain into a warmed mug. Drink hot and snore.

HI, Celia
Cardamom is often cooked in basmati rice in Indian cuisine. I've used it in rice along with saffron, cloves and pistachios. Very good to serve along with currys (of course) and other stews. Personally, I like it as a side with grilled salmon and a fruit salsa. As you know, cardamom is the underlying flavor in chai tea. On nights when I can't sleep I'll make a pot of chai for one: 1 C milk, 1 C water, 2-4 tbsp sugar, 2 cardamom seeds, 4 cloves, 1/2 cinnamon stick, 3-4 alspice berries (optional), chip of nutmeg. Simmer until well heated and sugar is dissolved. Add 1 Tbsp black tea and let steep for 3-5 minutes (depending on how you like the strength of your tea). Strain into a warmed mug. Drink hot and snore.

Cheers, Jo Ann, I'll give this a go. I ended up making tempura with the soft shell crab (everyone I asked here said they just don't work baked), and it was wicked. And I made a lamb keema from a Madhur Jaffery recipe, which used some of the cardamom pods. It was very nice - will use the leftovers to stuff tomatoes or a pumpkin tomorrow.

When I was at college, the Indian ladies all made tea with grated ginger - it was to die for. The traditional chai mixes that they sell here in the Indian spice stores actually have a bit of pepper in them as well. I made a nice shortbread cookie once topped with a mixture of raw sugar flavoured with a little chai mix.

Thanks !

I know I am too late to help, but I like to grill them. Only takes a couple of minutes and I find it preserves and concentrates the delicate flavor.

Also, yesterday I bought the greenest, most gorgeous cardamom pods I've ever seen. Any suggestions what I should do with them?

I keep a jar of the black (not sure if these taste significantly different than your green) cardomom seeds around for when I make carrots in an orange juice sauce. It is an interesting combination of flavors and usually people like it when I serve it to them for the first time.

I keep a jar of the black (not sure if these taste significantly different than your green) cardomom seeds around for when I make carrots in an orange juice sauce. It is an interesting combination of flavors and usually people like it when I serve it to them for the first time.

Gee, Dave, I'll have to try this with Cardamom seeds. I do this same recipe using carrots, orange juice and fresh ginger. always great.

Greg, thanks, but I've been told grilling won't work for our softshell crabs, because what we get here (Thai/Vietnamese imports) is vastly different to what you get in the US (mostly blue swimmers, I think). If grilled, ours will go mushy and bitter.

Dave and Jo Ann, I'm not sure we're talking about the same thing here. Cardamom pods are green, but the little seeds that come out of them are black. Here's a pic of the pods I'm talking about :



Jo Ann, I can't drink tea last thing at night (keeps me awake), but I'm going to try your chai recipe right now.. (it's 6.46am).

Celia,

Does sound like you would have a problem grilling them. I have sauteed our soft shell blue crabs which does produce a less greasy crab than deep frying, but I don't know if that would work for you either.

G

Dave and Jo Ann, I'm not sure we're talking about the same thing here. Cardamom pods are green, but the little seeds that come out of them are black. Here's a pic of the pods I'm talking about :

Jo Ann, I can't drink tea last thing at night (keeps me awake), but I'm going to try your chai recipe right now.. (it's 6.46am).

Yep, this is the stuff. My pods are green too. If the flavor is not strong enough for you, add a few more pods. I find that 2-3 work just fine for my taste. Let me know how you like it.

I frequently use ground cardamon in scones.

Thanks Larry. I noticed somewhere Bob Ross mentioning that he'd had cardamom sourdough - have you ever tried anything like that ? Might be worth a whirl next time I've got the starters out. Jo Ann - chai was delicious, thank you.

[Jenise]

Dave and Jo Ann, I'm not sure we're talking about the same thing here. Cardamom pods are green, but the little seeds that come out of them are black. Here's a pic of the pods I'm talking about :



Jo Ann, I can't drink tea last thing at night (keeps me awake), but I'm going to try your chai recipe right now.. (it's 6.46am).

The green is pretty much the standard cardamom, but there are black variations. I bought some not long ago--they were much larger than the green (maybe 1 black = 3 or 4 green, that much larger) and they were quite smokey, like some China teas. That aspect was a surprise as they weren't labeled as smoked so far as I knew, and if they were smoked I don't know what color they were before they were smoked, but they were decidedly a different animal from the green cardamom. Never used them as they got moldy before I got around to it.