CLAYPOT CRAB IN THICK CURRY / MANCHATTI NANDU PERATAL

Hi! Readers, welcome back to my blog Ruku's Authentic Kitchen Flavors where real food recipes are shared.

It is seafood day everyone and I am going to share my family way of cooking crab in thick curry / nandu peratal. This dish is a bit spicy but not to worry you can add your spice according to your spice level. It is a weekend treat for my family, where we sit together and patiently enjoy this finger licking delicious dish . Make it a weekend treat for family too and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

4 crabs 

2 big onions (sliced for cooking)

1 big onions (sliced for blending)

1 big tomato (quartered)

1 big brinjol / egg plant (quartered)

1 thumb size ginger (roughly chopped)

5 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)

6 dry chilies (boiled for 5 minutes)

2 sprigs of curry leaves

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds

1 tablespoon coarse coriander powder / seeds

1 tablespoon coarse cumin seed powder / seeds

1/2 tablespoon turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Oil

 METHOD

1. Clean and wash the crab. Separate the legs from the body.

2. In a grinder, add in dried chilies, 1 sliced onions, garlic, ginger, coarse coriander powder, coarse cumin powder. Grind to a smooth paste. 

3. Heat up oil in a claypot, add in the mustard and fenugreek seeds. 

4. When the mustard seed pops, add in the onions and curry leaves.

5. Once the onions are soften, add in the brinjol / egg plant. Cook till it has changed color and half cooked.

6. Now add in the tomatoes and cook till is soften.

7. Then add in the blended chili paste, turmeric and salt to taste. Combine all ingredients well. Cook in medium flame. Frequently stir the chili paste, so it don't get burned. Cook till the brinjol / egg plant mashed and oil separates. When the oil separates, it indicates that the chili is well cooked.

8. Now add in the crab and combine again evenly. No need to add water as the crab will release some water.  Do not cover the pot, let it simmer for 10 minutes to thicken the gravy. (depends on your preference wet or dry gravy)

9. Now the claypot crab curry / manchantti nandu peratal is ready to be served. Best eaten with rice.