A recipe for Nandu Kuzhambu (Chettinad style crab curry). Finger licking delicious, spicy but that good spice that will have you slightly sweating and yet reaching out for more!
An inter-community marriage has more benefits than you can count and for me the one that tops the list is the gorging on the traditional food of both sides. While we indulge in sarsoon ka saag and makki ki roti, there are also rasam and chettinad curries which are equally treasured. There are food traditions from both sides that get taken forward, recipes passed down by both set of grandmoms and moms, like this Nandu Kuzhambu. What else can one ask for?
Though we love sea food, crab is still a bit of treat in our house both because it is tough to get fresh and good crabs in Bangalore and because it is tedious to eat as well. It signifies what we say about hard work has the sweetest results, in the crab’s case it is the delicious sweet meat. If one wants to eat crab, one cannot really get away from that, however I have a solution for you when it comes to the first problem. Freshtohome is your answer to all your seafood needs in Bangalore and Delhi and Mumbai. These guys strive to get to you fresh and chemical free sea food at your doorstep. I have been using them since months now and they have never failed me even once. Every time consistently they have delivered fabulous sea food to me at the promised time.
Last weekend we ordered some crab and made N’s granny’s Nandu Kuzhambu (i.e. the chettinad style crab curry) with it. Finger licking delicious, It is slightly spicy (mainly pepper) but like O says it is so tasty that I don’t mind the spice. It is that good spice that will have you slightly sweating and yet reaching out for more. Honestly, I love all kinds of Chettinad cuisine and all kinds of crab recipes. Like this crab rasam!. Sigh, I could go on, but lets just get to the recipe now 🙂
Nandu Kuzhambu - Chettinad Crab Curry
Ingredients
- 1/2 kg crab cleaned and cut roughly
- 10 chillies dry red
- 1 tsp Aniseed (saunf)
- 1/4 tsp poppy seeds (khus khus)
- 10 peppercorn
- 1/4 cup coconut grated
- tamarind small ball
- 1/4 tsp fenugreek (methi seeds)
- 1 tsp jeera
- 1 cup shallots peeled
- 10 pods garlic chopped
- 1 tomato chopped
- handful curry leaves
- 2.5 - 3 cups water
- to taste salt
Instructions
- Grind together dry red chillies, aniseed, poppy seeds, peppercorn, coconut and tamarind.
- Heat oil in a heavy bottom kadhai, add fenugreek and jeera. Saute till browned for a minute or so. Add shallots, garlic and curry leaves and saute for 3-4 minutes.
- Add tomatoes & turmeric powder along with the ground masala and fry till the oil separates.
- Add water and bring it to a boil, reduce the flame and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Add crab and cook covered till the crabs are cooked and the gravy is thickened.
- Serve with hot steamed rice & papad.
Okay I am not a crab person. Being a bong thats normal but being a foodie thats not. After reading this I think I am missing out. Lets wait for the days to come