Bu pad phom kari (curried crab claws)

1. This is a mild curried dish, usually served as a counterpoint to a more intense curry or garlic dish.
2. It can be prepared with crab claws, or with a cup of crab meat, or a mixture of crab meat and shrimp.
3. Since it is often eaten with chop sticks, you might consider removing the meat from the claws, as this makes it easier for the spice flavours to penetrate and easier to eat the food.
4. Thai curry powder (phom kari) is unlikely to be available outside thailand.
5. Use a mild indian curry powder instead.
6. Prik yuak is a sweet green chili, if not available use green bell peppers or canned jalapenos to taste.
7. Heat some oil in a wok, and stir fry the garlic and onions.
8. Add the fish stock, soy sauce and fish sauce, and stir fry the crab until nearly cooked, then add the remaining ingredients.
9. Line a serving dish with lettuce and pour the crab over it, garnish with corinader leaves, lime leaves, and slices of cucumber.
10. If using crab claws, then steam the crab claws, and combine the remaining ingredients separately, and reduce them to form a dipping sauce.
11. This dish is of course served with the usual thai table condiments, and personally i like to add quite a bit of prik dong (red chilis in vinegar) to it. As always with this type of tropical seafood dish, you can serve it hot, at room temperature, or chilled.
12. ~- regards colonel ian f. Khuntilanont-philpott systems engineering, vongchavalitkul university, korat 30000, thailand chile-heads mailing list recipe by : colonel i. F. K.