28 Sept 2015

Nandu Rasam | Crab Recipes

Crab is one of my most favorite sea food recipes! The best crab dish I have ever tasted is my mom's nandu varuval! It is so spicy and so delicious! We make that dish every time we buy crab. I don't even feel like trying any other recipe other than that one dish. It's my all time favorite crab recipe.


Nandu Rasam


But when ever someone catches a cold in my home, I make this nandu rasam and almost instantly they feel better! I make the same nandu rasam for my kids also when they catch a cold. My kids are very young, age 4.5 and 2.5 years so I make it very less spicy and give them only once a day and even they like it and feel better.

Many people make nandu soup and call it nandu rasam but this is the way we make nandu rasam - with tamarind. You can make this and even drink it as a soup and feel better.


Nandu Rasam


NANDU RASAM
Preparation time 20 mins | Cooking time 30 mins | Serves 2-3

Ingredients
  • Crab - 4
  • Tamarind - lemon sized ball
  • Tomato - 2 medium
  • Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
  • Curry masala or garam masala - 1/2 tsp
  • Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup, chopped
  • Salt - to taste
  • Water - 3 cups
  • Red chilli - 2
To grind
  • Ginger - small piece (optional)
  • Garlic - 10 pods
  • Pepper corns - 1 tbsp
  • Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
  • Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
  • Curry leaves - 2 tbsp
To Temper
  • Oil - 2 tbsp
  • Cinnamon stick - 1 
  • Clove - 4
  • Cardamom - 2
  • Bay leaf - 1
  • Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Nandu Rasam

Method
1. Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of water for 30 mins. Clean the crab thoroughly and set aside. 2. In a blender add the items mentioned under 'to grind'. Grind to a coarse paste. 



3. Once the tamarind is soaked, squeeze the tamarind and extract the juice. Do this a couple of times and discard the pulp.  



4. Take the tomato in a bowl and mash it up well. Add the tamarind juice to the crushed tomato. Add some chopped coriander leaves. 
5.  Add the remaining 2 cups of water and required salt. 



6. In a kadai, heat oil. Once the oil is heated up, add the cinnamom stick, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf and fennel seeds.
7. Now add the coarsely ground paste and the red chillies. Saute for a few minutes. A nice aroma will emanate.



8. Add the turmeric powder and curry powder and saute for a minute.
9. Add the cleaned crab and saute with the masala for a few minutes.
10. Pour the prepared tamarind+tomato water. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the crab is cooked well. 



11. Once done, check for salt and add some more chopped coriander leaves and switch off.


Nandu Rasam


Notes
1. If you're in a hurry, soak the tamarind in some hot water and then squeeze out the pulp.
2. The addition of curry masala takes away the smell of the crab.
3. If you want the rasam more spicy, add some pepper powder and cumin powder while mixing the tamarind water and tomato.
4. Please adjust the spice level according to your preference.


Until next time,
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