Photo: Dolon Prova · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Tamilnadu · Lunch

Nandu Masala (Crab Masala Dry)

Mud crab cooked in a semi-dry, deeply spiced masala — onion-tomato-coconut base with freshly ground spices, cooked until the crab is fully coated and the masala clings to every shell and crevice. A Chennai and coastal Tamil Nadu Sunday lunch favourite.

🧺 Ingredients

• 1 kg mud crabs (nandu), cleaned — pincers cracked with the back of a knife, body quartered
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (fresh ground: 6 garlic + 1.5-inch ginger)
• 1.5 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ¾ tsp salt
• Small handful coriander leaves, chopped (garnish)
• 4 tbsp sesame oil
• ½ cup fresh grated coconut
• 1 tsp fennel seeds (sombu)
• 1 tsp black pepper, whole
• 3 dried red chillies
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• 2 dried red chillies
• 2 sprigs curry leaves

👩‍🍳 How to make Nandu Masala

1. Clean the crabs: Remove the top shell (carapace) of each crab. Remove and discard the gills (grey feathery parts — they are bitter). Crack the large claws with the back of a heavy knife — this allows the masala to penetrate. Quarter the bodies. Rinse thoroughly under cold running water.
2. Grind the coconut masala (no heat): Grind grated coconut, fennel seeds, black pepper, dried red chillies, coriander seeds, and garlic with 3 tbsp water to a smooth, reddish-brown paste. The garlic and fennel together give the masala its characteristic sweetness.
3. Temper and fry onions (medium heat): Heat sesame oil in a large, wide kadai or wok on medium. Add mustard seeds — crackle. Add fennel seeds (10 seconds). Add red chillies and curry leaves (15 seconds). Add onions. Fry for 12–15 minutes, stirring every 2–3 minutes, until deeply golden-brown and significantly reduced.
4. Add ginger-garlic (medium heat): Add ginger-garlic paste. Fry 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until raw smell is completely gone and paste turns golden.
5. Add tomatoes (medium heat): Add chopped tomatoes. Cook 8–10 minutes until completely broken down, masala is thick, and oil separates clearly at the edges.
6. Add spice powders (medium heat): Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric, and salt. Fry 1 minute.
7. Add coconut paste (medium heat): Add the freshly ground coconut masala. Stir well. Fry 4–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the raw coconut smell is gone and the masala is a deep reddish-brown.
8. Add crab pieces (medium-high heat): Add the cleaned crab pieces. Increase to medium-high. Toss well using tongs, coating every piece in the masala. The crab shells will change colour from blue-grey to bright orange-red within 3–4 minutes — this is the visual cue that the crab is cooking.
9. Cover and cook (medium heat): Add ¼ cup water. Cover and cook on medium for 12–15 minutes. Shake the pan gently every 4–5 minutes (rather than stirring, to prevent breaking the crab pieces). Check with a fork — crab meat should be white and opaque throughout, pulling away from the shell easily.
10. Reduce to semi-dry (medium-high heat): Remove lid. Increase to medium-high. Cook 5 more minutes, tossing, until the masala thickens and coats every shell piece. The result should be semi-dry — not a gravy, but not bone dry. Garnish with coriander.

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