How To Make Spiced Crab Salad From Junoon

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Today, we have a recipe for a spiced crab salad from Junoon, an upscale Indian restaurant in Flatiron. Headed by executive chef Vikas Khanna (who also happens to be a super hot chef), the fancy Indian eatery highlights five distinct Indian cooking methods: the tandoor (clay oven), sigri (open fire pit), handi (curry), tawa (cast-iron preparations), and patthar (stone cooking).

The spiced crab isn’t on the restaurant’s regular menu and is pulled out for pop-up events.

Good thing we have the full recipe.

Spiced Crab Salad
Chef Aliya LeeKong, Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the spiced aioli:
Three roasted garlic cloves
1 teaspoon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup corn juice
Zest of one lime
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 3/4 teaspoons ground, toasted cumin*
1/4 teaspoon chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
Salt to taste

For the spiced crab salad:
1 pound jumbo lump or lump crabmeat, picked through for any shells
1/3 cup roasted corn kernels
Two green onions, dark green parts only, finely chopped
3 tablespoons beet greens, finely chopped
3 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
Small handful of frisee, separated and picked of rough stems
Pickled shallots (optional garnish)
Fried curry leaves (optional garnish)

Procedure:

In a blender, puree the garlic cloves with all of the remaining aioli ingredients until thickened.
Fold together the crab salad ingredients with the aioli. Chill before serving.

*Toast white cumin seeds in a skillet over a medium-low flame until they deepen in color and become fragrant. Grind to a fine powder before using.