Crab or Njandu Varutharacha Curry

CRAB CURRY - KERALA STYLE OR CRAB VARUTHARACHA CURRY OR NAADAN NJANDU CURRY OR NJANDU VARUTHARACHA CURRY

Crab is my all time favorite seafood.  Though it is difficult to deshell it and eat, but for the taste of the flesh inside, you can never ought to miss it. I always make this kerala style curry- crab with coconut gravy - whenever I buy crab. This curry goes well with steamed rice, chappathi, puttu, paalappam, and anything of your choice. Speaking about the health benefits of Crab, it is a great source of protein. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids required for a healthy heart. It is also rich in Vitamin B2 and minerals such as copper and phosphorous. It is also low on fat keeping your calorie intake low. So a lot of good reasons to eat crab right..... Lets see how to make this delicious crab curry.

Crab Curry

Ingredients :

1. Crab - 1/2 Kg
2. Onion - 1 Big
3. Tomato - 2 Medium sized
4. Ginger - 1'' piece
5. Green Chilly - 2 Big(as per your spice buds)
6. Curry Leaves - 1 Spring
7. Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
8. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
9. Salt - as reqd
10. Water - little

For Grinding :

1. Coconut Grated - 1/2 of one coconut
2. Coconut Oil - 1 Tbsp
3. Small onion - 6-8 Nos
4. Garlic - 5-6 Nos
5. Ginger - one small piece
6. Fennel seeds (Perinjeerakam) - 2 tsp
7. Curry Leaves - 1 Spring
8. Pepper - 2 Tbsp (as per your spice buds)
9. Chilly Powder - 1 Tbsp
10. Coriander Powder - 1 Tbsp

 For Seasoning :

1. Coconut Oil - 2 Tbsp
2. Small Onion - 10-12 Nos
3. Curry Leaves - 1 Spring

 

 Cooking Method :

• Wash and Clean the crab and cut the legs and body separately. Marinate this with salt and turmeric powder.

• Take this marinated crab in a kadai. We normally cook seafood in a manchatti. If it is not available you can very well use a kadai. Chop onions, tomatoes, ginger, green chilly lengthwise and add this to the crab. Add chilly powder and curry leaves and mix well with your hand. Add water just enough for the crab to get cooked. Keep this in the stove on medium flame and cover it with a lid.

• Let the crab get cooked. Meanwhile lets make the coconut paste for the curry. Heat a pan and add coconut oil into it. When the oil is hot, add grated coconut, small onion, garlic, ginger, curry leaves, perinjeerakam and pepper. Fry this on a medium flame till coconut becomes dark brown. It should not get burnt though. At this stage add chilly powder and coriander powder and heat it for about 30 secs and switch off the flame. If you do not have whole pepper you can add pepper powder along with chilly powder and coriander powder. 

• Let this coconut mix cool down. Meanwhile have a look at the crab on the stove. If the crab is cooked put off the flame and keep it aside.

• Now grind the coconut mix to a smooth paste using a mixer grinder. It should blend to a very fine paste.

• Add this coconut paste to the cooked crab. Mix everything well. Add water and dilute the curry little. Keep this curry on the stove on medium flame and boil it well. The raw smell of the coconut paste should go away. Boil it till then. Once it boils well and the curry starts to thicken, put off the flame.

• Next is the seasoning part. Heat a small kadai and pour coconut oil in it. Add the chopped small onion and fry till it becomes golden brown. Add curry leaves to it and season it over the crab curry. 

• Delicious crab curry is ready to be served. It tastes very well with steamed rice, chappathi, puttu, paalappam

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Hope you enjoyed this recipe. Meet you again with another interesting recipe. Till then its bye from Veena.