Crab Masala Recipe also known as Nandu masala or Nandu varuval in Tamil. This delicacy is a unique preparation from South of India and is one of the most delicious crab dish you can make. Crab masala is one of my family favourite recipe along with Singaporean chilli crab which I made few weeks back. Onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic cooked along with Indian spices makes this crab dish tasty. Learn how to make a delicious crab masala recipe with step by step pictures and video.
Crab Masala
I have shared a simple crab curry recipe before and which is a family favourite. This dish has a thick spicy masala coated all over the crab and taste just fantastic with rice. Since it is crab season I have asked hubby to get me more crab so I can create more recipes for you. If you need any specific recipe using crab just let me know, and I will try to share it. And with this post I have shared a video of cleaning crab, make sure you check them as well.
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Few years back we visited Singapore and tried their world famous Singaporean chilli crab. Ever since I tried that recipe, I fell in love with it. I recreated the recipe as soon as we are back home and it turned out super delicious. It is one of my families favourite dish.
About Crab Masala (Nandu Masala)
Crab is called as Nandu in Tamil. This is one of the most popular seafood which is loved by many people. Cleaning and preparing crab can feel like a task but once you keep on cooking crab, you will find that cleaning crab is easier than cleaning fish.
In southern part of India, we make few crab recipes on repeat such as crab masala, nandu kuzhambu and nandu rasam. These three goes perfect with steamed rice or even chapati. I have made crab curry before but I have never tried my hands on nandu rasam.
This crab masala can be made two ways. You can pre cook crab with turmeric and salt and add it to the masala. Or you can add marinated crab into the masala and cook together. I have shared both versions in this post, so you can choose whichever you prefer. I have shared a video of cleaning crab and cooking crab masala for your reference.
Similar Recipes
Watch Crab Masala Recipe Video
Crab Masala Ingredients
Crab - You can use whichever variety of crab you can find. I like to use fresh crab whenever I am making crab recipes for taste. Personally I prefer using mud crab, Dungeness crab or red crab. Make sure to clean it really well and marinate with turmeric and salt to remove any fishy smell.
Coconut Oil - This is my preferred oil of choice. I love the aroma and flavour coconut oil provides.
Whole Spices - fennel seeds, cumin seeds are used in the masala which adds unique aroma to the dish.
Onions - use finely chopped onions for making the masala. Instead of onions, you can use shallots or pearl onions as well.
Tomatoes - tomatoes and onions form the base of the masala which adds thickness to the masala and adds a tang to the dish.
Ginger & Garlic - whenever I am making any non veg recipes, I add lots of freshly ground ginger and garlic which hides the fishy smell from the meat or fish.
Spice powders - a combination of chilli, coriander, turmeric and garam masala adds earthy aroma to the curry
Which crab is tasty and best for cooking
There are many varieties of crab available all over the world. You can choose and pick whichever is fresh and available for the season. Make sure to clean the crab really well and marinate with salt and turmeric to remove any fishy taste. Here are some of the crab which I prefer for cooking
Mud Crab - it is very popular for its impressive size and delicious taste. It has to be cleaned
Blue crab - if you can source them, it is one of the best types of crab due to its sweetness and quality flavor.
Dungeness Crab - it is known for its sweet, delicate flavor and known for their tender and juicy meat, which has a slightly nutty flavor.
How to Clean Crab (Pictures & Video)
Cleaning and preparing crab can feel like a task but once you keep on cooking crab, you will find that cleaning crab is easier than cleaning fish. It is really easy to clean crab. For easy reference, you can check my video and step by step pictures. This is how you clean crab.
- Pick large size crab which is fresh.
- Flip the crab, there will be a flap present. Gently remove the flap firmly which helps to remove the top shell of the crab.
- Now remove the gills from the crab which is inedible.
- Rinse the crab under running water to remove any gooey substance present.
- Now cut it in half, you can cut off any large legs from the crab.
- Use a meat mallet, to crack open the crab legs. This helps the masala and juices enter the crab legs and makes it flavourful and easy to consume once cooked.
- Wash the crab really well and strain any excess water. You can marinate the crab with little salt and turmeric for 5 minutes before cooking.
Video for Cleaning Crab
How to Make Crab Masala (Stepwise Pictures)
Cooking Crab & Crab Stock
1)Wash and clean crab. Now cut the crab in half, you can cut off any large legs from the crab. Use a meat mallet, to crack open the crab legs. This helps the masala and juices enter the crab legs and makes it flavourful and easy to consume once cooked.
2)Take cleaned crab in a sauce pan. Cover the crab with water. I used around 1 cup of water.
3)add salt, turmeric powder into the crab and mix well.
4)Place the sauce pan on heat. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes till crab turns pink and it is half cooked.
5)Now strain the cooked crab in a sieve. This is to strain the crab stock.
6)Reserve the crab stock for making masala.
Tempering Spices
7)Heat coconut oil in a pan. Add in fennel seeds and cumin seeds and allow them to sizzle.
Making Masala Base for Crab
8)Add in chopped onions, green chillies and curry leaves into the oil. Instead of onions, you can use chopped shallots.
9)Cook the onions till golden brown.
10)Now add in ginger garlic paste. Saute the ginger garlic paste into the onions till aromatic and raw smell leaves from it.
11)Cook this till golden brown.
12)Add in finely chopped tomatoes and mix well. if you don't prefer chopping tomatoes, you can use tomato puree.
13)Mix tomatoes in the onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes till tomatoes soften and gets mushy.
14)Add in all the spice powders and salt. I am using chilli, coriander, turmeric and garam masala powder.
15)Pour little crab stock into the spices so the spice powders don't burn.
16)Cook the spices till the base is cooked and thickened. Let oil separate from the masala.
Adding Crab
17)Add in the cooked crab into the masala.
18)Toss the crab with the masala and stir fry for at least 5 minutes or so.
Making Crab Masala
19)Now pour the remaining crab stock and mix well.
20)If there is no enough stock, you can add some water into the masala.
21)Cover and cook on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes.
22)Now the crab masala is ready.
23)Add in coriander leaves and mix well.
24)Serve hot.
25)Enjoy crab masala with rice.
Crab Masala (Another Version)
1)This version of crab masala is made in one pot. You don't need to cook the crab separately. You can add directly in the masala and cook.
Prepare the base as mentioned above. Pour little water and bring it to a full boil.
2)I marinated cleaned crab with some salt and turmeric. Add in the cleaned crab into the masala and toss well. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
3)Crab masala is ready to serve.
Expert Tips
- use coconut oil for cooking crab masala. It adds flavour and taste.
- Instead of large onions, you can use finely chopped shallots.
- Instead of chopped tomatoes, you can use pureed tomatoes.
- You can add some crushed fennel seeds and pepper for taste.
Serving
Crab masala taste great with hot rice or roti.
Crab Recipes that you will love
📖 Recipe Card
Crab Masala Recipe | Nandu Varuval Recipe
Equipment
- Cooking pot
Ingredients
For Tempering
- 4 tbsp Coconut Oil
- 1 tsp Fennel Seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
For Base of Crab Masala
- 2 large Onion chopped finely
- 2 slit Green Chilli
- 2 sprig Curry Leaves
- 4 large Tomatoes chopped finely
- 2 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 tbsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
- 1 tsp Salt to taste
- 3 tbsp Coriander leaves a handful finely chopped
For Cooking Crab
- 4 large Crab cleaned
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 cup Water
Instructions
- Take cleaned crab in a sauce pan, add 1 cup of water and salt, turmeric powder and mix well. Cover and cook them for 5 mins. Now strain this mix in a sieve and set aside, reserve the crab stock.
- In a kadai, heat oil and crackle in cumin and fennel seeds. Add in onions, green chilli and curry leaves and saute this till golden brown. Add in ginger garlic paste and cook that for a min. Now add in tomatoes and cook till mushy.
- Add in the spice powders and salt along with little of the reserved crab stock and mix well. Cook that for 5 mins or so till the masala is cooked. Now add in the crab and toss well in the masala. Add the remaining crab stock and cook covered for 5 to 6 mins. Now increase the heat and cook till crab masala is thickened. Add coriander leaves and mix well. Serve
Video
Notes
- use coconut oil for cooking crab masala. It adds flavour and taste.
- Instead of large onions, you can use finely chopped shallots.
- Instead of chopped tomatoes, you can use pureed tomatoes.
- You can add some crushed fennel seeds and pepper for taste.
Serving
Crab masala taste great with hot rice or roti.Nutrition
If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @[email protected] and I’ll help as soon as I can.
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Anonymous
wow, this dish of yours is really making my mouth water. it looks SOOOOO GOOOOD!!! i am definitely going to cook this soon. thank u so much for sharing! 🙂
sophia phillips
I tried your recipe and it tasted so good. Thank you
Hillary
Nice pictorial representation..the dish looks yummy..its a must try..
Anonymous
Hi your dishes are wonderful. And your tips are the best. I so love your cooking. Am a hugefan
Anonymous
how many tomatoes
Jo
Hi, I like your recipes. But lately there is so much of ad coming and not able to see your recipe. So not coming to your site as often I used to.
The ads are completely blocking the recipe.
Thanks
Dr Soundarya
Hi Aarthi
Can u pls post some Andhra and Chettinad styles of crab recipes da
Anonymous
I searched for a recipe without tomatoes (skin allergy) and yours popped out. Though your ingredients required met my requirements, your cooking included tomatoes. Sorry, couldn't proceed further.