Karaikal Nandu Rasam (Crab Rasam)
A peppery, tamarind-spiked crab rasam from Karaikal's fishing families, traditionally simmered slowly for a rich seafood broth.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 180 kcal
Equipment
- •Deep pot
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 180 kcal
- fat
- 8 g
- carbs
- 6 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 20 g
- calories
- 180 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Put the crab pieces, turmeric, a little salt, and 3 cups of water in a pot. Boil for 10 minutes until the shells turn red.
- 2
Take out the crab and pour the broth through a sieve. Save both the crab and the broth.
- 3
Heat sesame oil in the same pot. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves until they pop and crackle.
- 4
Add crushed garlic and fry briefly. Add the tomato and cook until soft.
- 5
Stir in the crushed pepper and cumin. Cook for 1 minute.
- 6
Pour the saved crab broth and tamarind pulp into the pot.
- 7
Put the crab pieces back into the pot. Simmer gently on low heat for 15 minutes to blend the flavours.
- 8
Taste and add more salt if needed. Scatter fresh coriander leaves on top and serve hot.
Chef's tips
Do not boil too hard once the crab is back in, as the meat can turn tough. Fresh crab tastes best, and crushing the pepper rather than powdering it gives a better bite.
Ingredient substitutions
- crab → small prawns
- sesame oil → any neutral oil
Storage
Best consumed fresh; refrigerate leftovers for up to a day.
Reheating
Reheat gently without a hard boil to keep the crab tender.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Overcooking the crab during the second simmer
- •Skipping the straining step, leaving sand or shell grit in the broth
Serving suggestions
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