EASTER HOLIDAYS AND CRABS IN MARTINIQUE

by Muriel Venumiere

 

 

In Martinique, there is a usually a story or tradition behind every holiday or day off. In the case of the Easter Holidays from April 4th to April 19th, people draw the religious week to a close with a sumptuous meal among family and friends at home or at the beach, the famous Matoutou Crabes.

 

INTRODUCING THE CRAB

Touloulous

A crab is a small shellfish. It has no head and its eyes are small and long. There are many types of crab in Martinique: ciriques, touloulous , tourteaux, etc… which are reddish, brown and blueish. A crab has four pair of legs on each side of the body that enable it to move and and two pincers, one larger than the other, enabling it to protect itself.

 

Crabs enjoy eating fruits, vegetables, grass and bread. They live in holes they dig in the ground near water and in wet places near the sea, near rivers, ponds, marshes and especially mangrove swamps.

Ciriques

But before eating crabs, you must catch them, so you need a crab-trap!

 

 

CONSTRUCTION OF A CRAB-TRAP

To build your crab-trap, you need some wood, nails, string, a hammer and a saw. It is not very easy to build and I can't explain it to you. Sorry!

Then, you choose a fresh hole by day and at dawn you prepare the trap with some bait (sugar-cane for example). When the crab leaves its hole and eats the bait, the crab-trap closes. You can also pour water inside the hole to make it leave more quickly if you are IMPATIENT!

 

CRABS-MATOUTOU

After catching the crabs (around 2 for each person), kill them, brush them, cut off the tips of the legs and cut the body into two parts. Remove the shell and keep the rest of the body with the legs and pincers.

Ingredients

    • Vegetable Oil
    • Garlic
    • Parsley
    • Shallots
    • Rice
    • Chives
    • Hot Pepper
    • Lemons
    • Salt
    • Black Pepper
    • Curry

Preparation

  • In a saucepan, fry the garlic and shallots in oil for three minutes.
  • Add the rice and cook for two minutes. Add water, chives, a bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper.
  • Bring the water to the boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Add the crabs, parsley, lemon juice and parsley and it is ready! Serve hot.

Recommendations

Eat the crabs with your hands and serve with white wine.

 

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