Curried Shrimp and Crab Gumbo

Sara Essex Bradley for The New York Times

adapted from Saffron Nola, New Orleans

submitted by Anne Halsted

preparation time: 1¾ hours

serves 4

¾ cup vegetable oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 medium white or yellow onion, finely chopped

1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons minced ginger

6 cups homemade shrimp stock or store-bought seafood stock

3 medium tomatoes, crushed in a food mill, or 1 cup crushed tomatoes

2 sprigs curry leaves (about 15 leaves)

2 dried bay leaves

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

1½ teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or ground Cayenne, divided

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed

¼ pound blue lump crab meat (about ¾ cup) or use other lump crab meat

cracked black pepper, for serving

½ cup chopped cilantro stems and leaves, for serving

½ cup chopped scallions, for serving

steamed rice, for serving

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat until just short of smoking, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir the flour into the oil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring almost constantly, until the roux is the color of milk chocolate, 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the onion, bell pepper and celery to the roux. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened, 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the stock, crushed tomatoes, curry leaves (discard the stems), bay leaves, turmeric and thyme, along with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon chili powder. Bring the gumbo to a boil over high heat. Once the mixture boils, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the flavors meld and skim the skin that forms on the surface, about 1 hour.

Season the shrimp with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon chili powder. Stir the shrimp into the gumbo and cook until shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the crab meat and adjust the seasoning as necessary.

Crack black pepper into four empty bowls, then divide the cilantro and scallions among the bowls. Add a scoop of steamed rice to each bowl then ladle the gumbo on top to serve.