Chettinadu Nandu Varuval Recipe (Crab Fry Dry With Baby Onions)

Chettinad Cuisine is very close to my heart. Dad makes some amazing Chettinad recipes at home, and we thoroughly enjoy it. Nandu Varuval (crab fry) is a finger licking good preparation of crab using shallots or baby onions and a whole lot of aromatic and bold spices. Pepper powder gives a nice smoky spicy flavour. No Chettinad cuisine is complete without coriander powder, red chilli powder, fennel powder and curry leaves. Make this easy and delicious crab fry recipe whenever you have guests at home. They sure are going to be impressed. Course : Lunch Ingridients : 500 grams Crab 1 cup Shallots , chopped 2 Tomatoes , chopped 2 Green Chillies 2 Dry Red Chillies 1-1/2 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste 2 sprig Curry leaves 1 tablespoon Coriander Powder (Dhania) 3/4 tablespoon Red Chilli powder 2 teaspoon Black pepper powder 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi) 1-1/2 teaspoon Fennel Powder Salt , to taste 2 tablespoons Oil Coriander (Dhania) Leaves , as required for garnish Instructions To begin making the Chettinadu Nandu Varuval recipe, clean and wash crab well. I cut them into pieces. Marinate crab with little turmeric powder, salt and keep aside for 30 minutes.Bring 1 litre of water to boil and add crab to the boiling water. Cook for 3-5 minutes, drain the crab from boiled water and keep aside.In a wok/kadhai, heat oil. Add ginger garlic paste and cook until the raw smell of the paste is gone. Add shallots, green chilies and dried red chilies. Saute and cook until onions turn translucent.Now add tomatoes and cook until tomatoes turn mushy and oil separates from the sides of the pan.Add the spice powders and give it a quick mix. Add salt to taste, mix.Add cooked crab into the pan, mix well to coat all the crab pieces well with the spice masala. Reduce the flame to low, cover and cook until crab is fully cooked and masala turns dry.Remove from pan, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot. Serve Chettinad Nandu Varuval with steamed rice and Mamsaam Chops as side dish or serve it as a starter.