Crab curry / nandu kulambu / south indian crab curry

Name: Crab curry / nandu kulambu / south indian crab curry
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: En
Ingredients: Crab - 4; Onion - 1 (medium); Tomato - 1 (big); Garlic - 4 Cloves (finely chopped); Tamarind - 1 big gooseberry size; Red chilli powder- 2 ½ tsp; Corriander powder - 4 tsp; Turmeric powder - ½ tsp; Coconut -½ cup; Fennel seeds - 1 tsp; Pepper - ½ to 1 tsp; Oil - 1 to 2 tbsp; Fennel seeds - ¾ tsp; Fenugreek seeds - ½ tsp; Curry leaves - 10 to 15 leaves

Main Dish

Easy

50 min

This is a native style spicy gravy from Tamilnadu (my mother's style!) that goes well with rice, idli / dosa; easy to make and rich in flavour!

Preparation

Preparation30 min

Cook time20 min

Directions:

Clean the crabs and keep aside. Grind coconut and fennel seeds with little water to fine paste. Keep aside.

Soak the tamarind in a cup of water.

Take a wide kadai; add oil and season with fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds and curry leaves.

Once it splutters, fry chopped onion and garlic followed by dry spice powders and fry for few minutes; then add tomato and salt. If you feel it is sticking to the pan, add little water.

Add crabs when tomato starts melting and mix till masala coats well and the colour changes to slight pink.

Add the tamarind extract and coconut paste with water (adjust according to the required consistency).

Stir well; close the lid and allow to boil for 5 to 7 minutes.

Simmer for another 10 minutes till the oil floats and the mixture becomes thick in consistency.

Then add few curry leaves before removing from stove and close the lid to enhance the taste.

Allow it to rest for some time. Serve hot with steamed white rice, idli or dosa.