Njandu Rasam / Crab Rasam

Ingredients:

1/2 kg crabs, cleaned

2 tomatoes

1 tsp pepper corns

1 tsp fennel seeds

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

small lemon sized tamarind

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 sprig curry leaves

4-6 shallots, sliced

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/4-1/2 tsp pepper powder

1/2 tsp rasam powder

salt to taste

1/4 cup coriander leaves

1 tbsp oil

Preparation:

1. Cut the crabs into pieces, clean it and keep it aside.
2. In a pan, dry roast pepper corns, fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds till you get a nice aroma. Cool down and grind it to a coarse powder and keep it aside.
3. Blanch the tomatoes (add tomatoes in a pan of boiling water for 2-3 minutes and then transfer them to a bowl of cold water), then peel off the skin and mash it well with the hands and keep it aside.
4. Soak tamarind in little water, extract its juice and keep it aside.
5. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add cumin seeds, garlic, curry leaves and sliced shallots and saute well.
6. Add in the roasted and ground masala powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder and rasam powder and saute for few minutes.
7. Then add the crushed tomato and tamarind juice and mix well. Add the salt.
8. Now add in the cleaned crab, mix well and cook covered at low flame till the crab is cooked completely.
9. Adjust the salt and switch off the flame. Add coriander leaves and keep the pan covered till you serve...

Recipe Source: happietrio.com