Njandu Varutharachathu/ Crab with Roasted Coconut and Spices

It's been so long that we cooked crab at home. I just love it. I know its another non veg recipe but can't stop myself from posting it. It turned out so delicious and it was the first time I made it myself. Usually Amma makes it and it is so yumm. I remember my childhood days when my dad and his friends would go crab fishing in the shallow beach at Ras- Abu- Aboud , Doha. Yeah..Yeah! They used to go with just simple nets and get such huge crabs. I used to be horrified seeing them crawl. There used to be jelly fish too. Really miss those days...

Njandu Varutharachathu
Recipe Source - Grihalaxmi

Ingredients

Njandu/Crab - 4 or 5 

Masala 1 (to be roasted and ground into fine paste)

Coconut - 1 1/2 cup

Shallots - 3

Curry Leaves - 1 + 3

Coriander Powder- 1 tbsp

Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Water - as required

Masala 2

Chilly - 2 (slit)

Ginger - 1'' piece (finely chopped)

Tomato - 1 large (thinly chopped)

Tamarind / Valan Puli - size of half a lime.
Water - 1/2 cup (to soak the tamarind)

Chilly powder-  1 tbsp

Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp

Salt - as required

Water - 1 1/2 cup*

For seasoning

Mustard - 1/2 tsp

Shallots - 6 (chopped round)

Garlic- 2

Curry Leaves - 1sprig

Coriander Leaves - 1 tablespoon
Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp

METHOD
Roast the coconut along with shallots and 1 sprig curry leaves in a kadai.
When it turns brown switch off the flame and add the remaining masala along with 3 sprigs curry leaves and mix well.**
Grind the masala into fine paste adding very little water.

In a clay pot keep the masala 2 ready. Squeeze the tamarind well in water and pour the water it into the pot.

Clean and chop the crab into half.
Add the crab into the masala. Mix well.
Add salt and let it cook on medium flame and bring to a boil. Let cook for appox 5 min on medium low flame.
Add the roasted and ground masala. Add water and mix well.
Check salt and let it come to a boil.
Let it cook for about 5 minutes on medium low flame or till the gravy thickens.
In a kadai heat oil. Add mustard and let it splutter.
Add shallots and garlic. Stir.
Add curry leaves. Remove from flame. Add the seasoning to the curry and garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve it with steaming rice or with any roti.

Cooking tips:
Make sure you refrigerate the crab and remove it just before cooking ie. after all the required masala is ready.I used small crabs.
**There is no need to add any oil while roasting the coconut as oil will come out of the coconut as you roast. Keep stirring and be careful not to burn it. As you see it is about to brown lower the flame. Add very little water while grinding. The water specified here is to be added while mixing this masala with crab.
* Make sure you stir the masalas well as the heat of the roasted coconut is enough to remove the raw smell  of it.
Add more warm water if you like thinner gravy as the gravy tends to thicken even after cooking.