My Hot & Spicy Crab Dip is a must when entertaining, so simple & super delicious to boot. Best of all, it can be made ahead. This tasty dip can be served with assorted crackers, pita crisps, naan wedges or even vegetables. On chilly days, I serve it slightly warmed and on hot & humid days – I serve it chilled. Either way, it’s just perfect as a delicious appetizer. You’ll be the big hit of evening along with the crab dip, of course ☺.


HOT & SPICY CRAB DIP

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh lump crabmeat
2 large shallots, finely minced
2-3 large garlic cloves, finely minced
1” piece of ginger, peeled & finely grated
2 small green Thai chilies, finely minced (to taste)
1½ tsp kala or goda masala (or you can add garam masala or curry powder)
½ tsp red chili powder, to taste
salt & pepper, to taste
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
juice of ½ lime
¼ cup cilantro leaves, finely minced
2 tbsp ghee or butter (you can use vegetable or canola oil)
pinch of smoked Spanish paprika for garnish
freshly chopped chives for garnish

METHOD:

First, sort through the crab meat to make sure it is completely shell free.

In a deep skillet or sauté pan on medium heat, add the ghee. When hot, add the shallots along with the garlic, ginger and green chilies. Sauté and let cook until the shallots have softened. Then add the spices (kala masala, red chili powder, salt & pepper) and let cook for another minute or so. Now reduce the heat to low and stir in cream cheese, mayonnaise, lime juice and cilantro leaves. Then add in the crab meat and mix well -- making sure it is evenly distributed throughout. Let cook for about 2 minutes and then transfer to a pretty serving bowl. Garnish with the smoked Spanish paprika and freshly chopped chives. Serve immediately with pita crisps or naan wedges.
If you are making this dip the day before, let it cool down completely before refrigerating it in an airtight container or covering it with plastic wrap. Reheat it in a low 300 degree F oven for 8-10 minutes. I would also garnish the dish just before serving.

VARIATIONS:

Instead of cream cheese, add 1 cup of sour cream to the dish. You could also add 4 ounces of cream cheese and ½ cup of sour cream.

For the chilled version, you can add ¼ cup finely chopped celery.

For an economical version of this recipe, use imitation crab stick or surimi instead. You could also make this dish using cooked salmon if you like or a mix of cooked seafood.



NEWSLETTER: I invite you to subscribe to our free weekly newsletter. This gives you all of the updates for the Indian Food site. Sometimes, this newsletter has additional information on recipes that are not in the articles. Fill in the blank just below the article with your email address - which is never passed on beyond this site. We will never sell or trade your personal information.