How to make curry lobster Caribbean style
23.2.21
| Recipe by Renz
This Caribbean-style curry lobster will have you licking your fingers while
eating. Lobster tails simmered down in a rich curry sauce.
What's better than a good curry and some delicious seafood? A well-flavored curry dish is one of the best dishes to eat. And this lobster curry falls into that bracket.
Using some delicious Caribbean curry powder, and other spices, the lobster meat is simmered until there is a thick coconut milk sauce.
I come from a curry country. This spice is one of the main staples in our cooking. The indentured Indian laborers brought the use of it to our country and it has become a staple across all ethnic households.
We "curry" just about any meat you can think of shrimp, chicken, duck, goat, beef. And curry a whole lot of sides too
For this curry lobster, I decided to use lobster tails. It's easier to clean and cut up and it's also easier for me to find them in my area. If you can get a whole lobster you can simply cut it up into pieces before cooking.
This is a simple curry recipe.
For seafood, the main thing is to ensure your sauce base has the full flavor before adding your meat, the same way we curry crab. Seafood cooks quickly, so you don't want it in the sauce too long because you are still seasoning up.
I season up my lobster tailpieces with a few staples: Caribbean green seasoning (make a quick batch in your food processor using this recipe), tomato, fresh thyme, and lime juice, season with salt and black pepper, and set aside. It can stay for a couple of hours or overnight in the fridge. Additionally, you can add a tablespoon curry powder and diced onions to the lobster.
I also, use coconut milk. Fresh is always best so if you can, go ahead and make some using fresh coconut. If not, then canned is also a great option, make sure you are using unsweetened milk. If you also have the powder version, follow the mixing directions with enough water to make the same amount of milk I have listed.
Some people like to make a curry paste base when currying, but I do not do that for this recipe. I just add the spice powder blend directly to my hot oil.
In a large saucepan, start with "chunky-ing", a burning of garlic clove (or a garlic puree) in hot oil on high heat. If you have curry leaves, you can include them here.
Add your curry spice, garam masala, geera, and turmeric powder.
Cook the curry base a bit until the flavor of the spices starts to come out. Add in a little water and make that curry paste cook down again.
When the spices begin to look grainy in texture and dark, add in the coconut milk and bring that to a boil. Add in the scotch bonnet pepper and let that start to simmer and simmer for about 10 minutes.
The mixture starts to simmer and thicken, add the lobster pieces to the sauce. and leave it to simmer again for an additional 10 minutes.
Taste for salt and pepper as it goes along. Once the lobster is cooked, throw in some chopped-up shado beni leaves.
And serve hot. If you need ideas on what to pair with this dish, look for the suggestions below.
Most lobster tails are said to be cleaned before being stored to sell but I still want to clean them to my liking.
I first rinse the exterior in some cold water so that any preservatives or debris that may be transferred during storage is removed.
Then, if using them in the shell, remove the little legs on the underbelly of the shell. Then I take a lime or lemon half and rub it up and down the shells.
Put the tails to soak in a water and lemon juice mixture for a few minutes. Don't do that for too long, as we don't want the meat to retain too much water.
After you can cut the tails up into pieces here. Three pieces for the size of the tail. Then turn each piece over and cut the bottom shell.
Once that is done, I pry the meat out from the shell a bit making it easier to access the meat when eating.
If you want to fully deshell the tail you can do that. Remove all the meat. But know that the shell gives additional flavor.
Make sure the tails have turned pink in color.
Use a sharp-tipped knife, and poke the underside of the shell where the meat is, it should be white in color. That means it is fully cooked. If it is still translucent, then a little more time is needed.
If while it's cooking, you think the lobster is done, but your sauce is still thin, then you can remove the lobster and leave the gravy to thicken to your liking.
You do not want to overcook the lobster.
I'm not a massive fan of reheating seafood much less curry seafood. The lobster can stay in the fridge for a maximum of three days after cooking. If you freeze it, freeze it as soon as possible but it is not my suggestion. I would not freeze it after being in the fridge for two days.
To reheat, If taking it from the freezer, leave it in the fridge to defrost, then reheat it on the stove. Add some water to the pot and then on medium heat and cover, cook till warmed all the way through. ALL THE WAY.
You can microwave it also for faster heating, but a stovetop is the better method. Whichever way, just make sure it is heated all the way through.
This finger-licking dish can be paired with plain white rice, coconut rice, or dumplings. Or maybe a side of potato salad or potato pie.
Plain white rice is my favorite though.
Make sure the tails have turned pink in color.
Use a sharp-tipped knife, and poke the underside of the shell where the meat is, it should be white. That means it is fully cooked. If it is still translucent, then a little more time is needed.
While it's cooking, if you think the lobster is done, but your sauce is still thin, you can remove the lobster and leave the gravy to thicken to your liking.
You do not want to overcook the lobster.
That would be my last suggestion to use pre-cooked lobster. But if this is the only choice, make sure you make sure the base of the curry mixture is well seasoned and almost finished up before you add in the cooked meat to simmer through till warmed.
This would need just for a couple minutes, no more than 5 - 6 minutes, since the meat is already cooked.
If you love a good curry dish, then make sure you check out some of my other Caribbean curry recipes:
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What's better than a good curry and some delicious seafood? A well-flavored curry dish is one of the best dishes to eat. And this lobster curry falls into that bracket.
Using some delicious Caribbean curry powder, and other spices, the lobster meat is simmered until there is a thick coconut milk sauce.
I come from a curry country. This spice is one of the main staples in our cooking. The indentured Indian laborers brought the use of it to our country and it has become a staple across all ethnic households.
We "curry" just about any meat you can think of shrimp, chicken, duck, goat, beef. And curry a whole lot of sides too
For this curry lobster, I decided to use lobster tails. It's easier to clean and cut up and it's also easier for me to find them in my area. If you can get a whole lobster you can simply cut it up into pieces before cooking.
How to make lobster curry
This is a simple curry recipe.
For seafood, the main thing is to ensure your sauce base has the full flavor before adding your meat, the same way we curry crab. Seafood cooks quickly, so you don't want it in the sauce too long because you are still seasoning up.
I season up my lobster tailpieces with a few staples: Caribbean green seasoning (make a quick batch in your food processor using this recipe), tomato, fresh thyme, and lime juice, season with salt and black pepper, and set aside. It can stay for a couple of hours or overnight in the fridge. Additionally, you can add a tablespoon curry powder and diced onions to the lobster.
I also, use coconut milk. Fresh is always best so if you can, go ahead and make some using fresh coconut. If not, then canned is also a great option, make sure you are using unsweetened milk. If you also have the powder version, follow the mixing directions with enough water to make the same amount of milk I have listed.
Some people like to make a curry paste base when currying, but I do not do that for this recipe. I just add the spice powder blend directly to my hot oil.
In a large saucepan, start with "chunky-ing", a burning of garlic clove (or a garlic puree) in hot oil on high heat. If you have curry leaves, you can include them here.
Add your curry spice, garam masala, geera, and turmeric powder.
Cook the curry base a bit until the flavor of the spices starts to come out. Add in a little water and make that curry paste cook down again.
When the spices begin to look grainy in texture and dark, add in the coconut milk and bring that to a boil. Add in the scotch bonnet pepper and let that start to simmer and simmer for about 10 minutes.
The mixture starts to simmer and thicken, add the lobster pieces to the sauce. and leave it to simmer again for an additional 10 minutes.
Taste for salt and pepper as it goes along. Once the lobster is cooked, throw in some chopped-up shado beni leaves.
And serve hot. If you need ideas on what to pair with this dish, look for the suggestions below.
FAQ
How to clean lobster tails
Most lobster tails are said to be cleaned before being stored to sell but I still want to clean them to my liking.
I first rinse the exterior in some cold water so that any preservatives or debris that may be transferred during storage is removed.
Then, if using them in the shell, remove the little legs on the underbelly of the shell. Then I take a lime or lemon half and rub it up and down the shells.
Put the tails to soak in a water and lemon juice mixture for a few minutes. Don't do that for too long, as we don't want the meat to retain too much water.
After you can cut the tails up into pieces here. Three pieces for the size of the tail. Then turn each piece over and cut the bottom shell.
Once that is done, I pry the meat out from the shell a bit making it easier to access the meat when eating.
If you want to fully deshell the tail you can do that. Remove all the meat. But know that the shell gives additional flavor.
How do I know my lobster is cooked?
Make sure the tails have turned pink in color.
Use a sharp-tipped knife, and poke the underside of the shell where the meat is, it should be white in color. That means it is fully cooked. If it is still translucent, then a little more time is needed.
If while it's cooking, you think the lobster is done, but your sauce is still thin, then you can remove the lobster and leave the gravy to thicken to your liking.
You do not want to overcook the lobster.
Storage and Reheating
I'm not a massive fan of reheating seafood much less curry seafood. The lobster can stay in the fridge for a maximum of three days after cooking. If you freeze it, freeze it as soon as possible but it is not my suggestion. I would not freeze it after being in the fridge for two days.
To reheat, If taking it from the freezer, leave it in the fridge to defrost, then reheat it on the stove. Add some water to the pot and then on medium heat and cover, cook till warmed all the way through. ALL THE WAY.
You can microwave it also for faster heating, but a stovetop is the better method. Whichever way, just make sure it is heated all the way through.
What to pair with this lobster
This finger-licking dish can be paired with plain white rice, coconut rice, or dumplings. Or maybe a side of potato salad or potato pie.
Plain white rice is my favorite though.
How do I know my lobster is cooked?
Make sure the tails have turned pink in color.
Use a sharp-tipped knife, and poke the underside of the shell where the meat is, it should be white. That means it is fully cooked. If it is still translucent, then a little more time is needed.
While it's cooking, if you think the lobster is done, but your sauce is still thin, you can remove the lobster and leave the gravy to thicken to your liking.
You do not want to overcook the lobster.
Can I use pre-cooked lobster?
That would be my last suggestion to use pre-cooked lobster. But if this is the only choice, make sure you make sure the base of the curry mixture is well seasoned and almost finished up before you add in the cooked meat to simmer through till warmed.
This would need just for a couple minutes, no more than 5 - 6 minutes, since the meat is already cooked.
If you love a good curry dish, then make sure you check out some of my other Caribbean curry recipes:
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