Enjoy the most delectable flavours of Singapore, Malaysia and Sichuan as My Humble House brings out a special menu that will leave any seafood lover asking for more, says Hamari Jamatia
When the host of a diner serves you an apron and an explanation: “You will need this,” you know you are in for something different, for crabs are not the usual fare in the food circle of Delhi. This particular food is messy and needs a great deal of pulling and struggle to fill up the plate and the belly, but the bottom line is it is all worth it.
Crabs, perhaps the most underrated foods in the country, have been restored back on the consciousness of seafood lovers by My Humble House at ITC Maurya which is celebrating the crustacean by offering a special menu.
“Crabs can be cooked in a variety of ways and are very popular in coastal areas. We are trying to popularise it in the city as well,” says the host Anurodh.
As Chef Ken presents a Singaporean crab on a pristine white plate garnished with spring onions, it is clear that the flavours have been picked to tempt the Indian taste buds, used to the tangy zing of hot and sweet.
The presentation is quite a show in itself. Pieces of crabs have been piled up below a cover of the main shell making it look like a whole crab has been placed on the plate. Chef Ken later tells me that I am wrong. “Though there was just one shell, the plate actually contains the meat of more than two crabs!” he says.
It is a difficult meal — with all the cutlery required to break into the shell to get at the soft white meat hidden within. But every bite is a reminder of how good seafood can be, when mixed with the right spices. The Singaporean crab has been cooked in gravy of onion, cornflour. The chef from Malaysia who has been especially brought for the event tells me that they have sourced the mud crabs from the backwaters of Kerala. “Crabs can be mixed with different flavours. I have found that diners coming here are quite willing to experiment with different crab dishes,” he says.
Up next, he brings me crab in black pepper sauce, tossed with onions. Unlike the soft and sweet taste of the first dish, this one is fiery at its best. I crack the shells open and dig right away. In between mouthfuls, the host explains that this is the third time that the diner has organised a special menu. “The response has been so positive that we decided to repeat it,” Anurodh says. The special menu that will continue till October 4 offers ten crab dishes. For aficionados, it is best to go there at leisure as crab dishes have to be savoured slowly. As I clear the last bit on my plate, I realise it has taken me two hours.