Crab Dry Fry or Njandu Perattiyathu

Sea food lovers would always prefer a plate full of crab delicacy whenever they get a chance. I myself am a great fan of crabs. And trust me; preparing crabs is not as difficult as you guys think it is. Well, the cleaning part is. But the final result would make your heart jump with joy, even though you had spent a lot of time in the cleaning procedure. ;)

Cooking crabs is fun, though I think the eating part is much adventurous. Often I had asked the question to myself as to why such tasty flesh is treasured inside the hard shell, which often makes us struggle a lot to eat that stuff. :( 

Here I have tried out the traditional Kerala Style Crab dry fry or Njandu Perattiyathu. It is served with boiled tapioca curry. This combination is the right way to indulge in a heavenly experience that you might not even imagine at all. So guys check out the recipe and try it out. Comments are always welcome.

Ingredients

·         Crab – 1 kg

·         Onions – 4 large

·         Green chilies- 2 medium

·         Ginger Garlic Paste- ¼ tsp

·         Chilly powder – 1 ½ tsp

·         Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Method

Step 1

·         Clean crabs well. Remove the large outer shell and cut them into small pieces. Legs should also be separated.

·         Take a large pan or kadai and put the crabs in it

·         Add ¼ cup of water, a bit of salt (not too much), ginger garlic paste and a pinch of turmeric

·         Mix well and allow the water to boil.

·         Now close the lid of the kadai or pan and let it cook for 10 min in low flame

·         Switch off flame after 10 min, or till the crabs are cooked well

·         Keep them aside

Step 2

·         Place a large pan on the stove

·         Pour some oil and heat it

·         Add mustard seeds and pop them

·         Add curry leaves

·         Now it is time to add the finely chopped onions and green chilies to it

·         Sauté the onions till golden brown

·         Add a bit of ginger garlic paste and sauté well

·         You may now add Chilly powder and ¼ tsp of turmeric

·         Sauté well

·         Add adequate salt just right for the onions alone

·         Now you may add the cooked crabs into the pan

·         Mix well and check the salt

·         Close the lid for 5 – 10 min in low flame

·         Switch off flame after 5-10 min

·         Serve hot with boiled tapioca or with rice

Crab perattiyathu is a real delight for the taste buds no one can resist. The preparation is simple, yet many fear to try it out. Follow the instructions and make the perfect crab dry fry for you and your family. Enjoy!!