Apr 26, 2013

Nandu Masala | Crab Masala

"Nandu (Crab) Masala" is a sea food delight. Crabs are cooked with ginger, garlic, onions, tomato and coconut along with blend of different spices.

This is one of my beloved dish. I have experimented different crab recipes with various combination of spices and this one turned to be the best. So, when cooking with crab, it is important to retain crab flavor when it is cooked with different spices.

I did not get Indian crab to make this recipe, but instead used Alaskan snow crabs. 




Ingredients

 1 kg Alaskan snow crabs or Indian crab
1 tsp Fennel seeds
4 Cloves
2 small sticks of Cinnamon
5 cloves of Garlic
1 small piece of Ginger
4 Green Chilies, finely chopped
1 sprig of Curry Leaves
1 Onion, finely chopped
1 Tomato, finely chopped
1 tsp Red Chili powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
2 tsp Coriander powder
1 cup Coconut, grated
4 Cashew Nuts
5 tsp Oil
Salt


Method

  • Soak crab in turmeric water for 30 minutes. Clean the crab just before adding to the masala
  • In a heavy bottom vessel, heat oil. Add cinnamon, fennel seeds, cloves, ginger and garlic paste, curry leaves and green chilies. Saute for a minute

  • Add Onions and fry until it turns transparent

  • Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and coriander powder. Sprinkle water if masala sticks to the bottom of vessel
  • Add tomato and cook for 2 minutes

  • In a blender, grind coconut and cashew nut. Pour it into masala. Cook until oil seperates out from the masala


  • Adjust salt as per paste
  • Add  cleaned crabs to the masala and mix well. Smear masala all over crab so that all flavors are evenly absorbed

  • Cover the vessel and cook in medium- low heat setting for 15 minutes 
  • Serve hot with steamed rice and lemon wedges



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