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Malabar Black Pepper Crab Curry
Medium 55 min Serves 4

Malabar Black Pepper Crab Curry

Featuring Sacred Kerala Black Pepper

Ingredients
  • 1 kg Fresh crab, cleaned and halved
  • 2 tbsp Sacred Kerala Black Pepper, coarsely ground
  • 2 tbsp Coconut oil
  • 2 Onions, finely sliced
  • 1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
  • 2 Green chillies, slit
  • 1 tsp Turmeric
  • 200 ml Fresh coconut milk
  • 1 sprig Curry leaves
  • Salt to taste

Nandu Curry — Malabar crab curry — is the dish coastal Kerala is famous for. The black pepper here is not a background note. It is the entire point. Use fresh-ground Kerala pepper and use it generously.

The Sacred Method
1

Heat coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add curry leaves and let them crackle.

2

Add sliced onions and fry until golden — about 12 minutes over medium heat.

3

Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies. Fry for 3 minutes until raw smell disappears.

4

Add turmeric and half the black pepper. Stir for 1 minute.

5

Add crab pieces and toss to coat in the masala. Cook on high heat for 5 minutes, stirring.

6

Pour in coconut milk, season with salt. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 15–20 minutes until crab is cooked through.

7

Finish with the remaining black pepper — added at the end preserves its volatile aromatics. Serve with Kerala parotta or steamed rice.