Crab kulambu

For a long time I was looking for a homely recipe for crab curry that is made in ordinary households of Tamil Nadu. I grew up eating this simple kulambu made by my mom, but eventually we all got used to restaurant versions and totally got diverted from the homely nandu kulambu. However good I make my crab curry I had always felt nostalgic for this mom's recipe. The main features of this curry is that it is a soupy version of crab curry, more watery, less spicy still flavorful and easy to make. Then one day while talking with my mom's sister, my J chithi, I got some non veg recipes of Tuticorin ..... I tried this and I could definitely say that I got my mom's recipe back. Thanks Chithi:)

Recipe source: My talented and always helpful Jeyasri chithi.  

Fish for hubby and crab for me:)

Ingredients:
Crab - 4
Onion - 1
oil - 1 tbsp
tomato - 2
curry leaf - 2 sprig
green chilly - 2 slit
mustard - 1 tsp
fennel - 1 tsp
red chilly powder - 1 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
coriander powder - 3 tsp
sea salt - to taste

Masala to grind:
shredded coconut - 1 cup
cumin - 1 tsp
garlic - 1 whole
shallot - 4

Method:
Heat oil in a deep wok.
Add mustard, fennel.
After mustard gets cracked, add finely chopped onion.
After sauteing it for a minute, add chopped tomato and saute till it gets mushy.
Cook this closed with 1/4 cup water.
Peel the garlic, shallot and grind the masala together to a fine paste.
Add chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder,salt, prepared masala, green chilly, curry leaf and bring it to a boil.
Then add crab, cook covered in low heat for 10 - 15 minutes, switch off.
Nandu kulambu is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve this curry over rice as main course.

Ulunthu Payasam

Whole urad dal / ulunthu payaru kheer (payasam) is one more delicacy from Tamilnadu. This payasam is not a modern day food but the ingredients will tell the heritage of Indian cooking. Hope it is liked by all!

Ingredients:
Whole urad dal - 1/2 cup
raw rice - 2 tbsp
garlic - 4 cloves
dry ginger powder - 1 tsp
jaggery (Indian brown sugar) - 1/2 cup
To grind:
coconut - 3 tbsp
cardamom - 3

Method:
Soak urad dal overnight. Pressure cook the soaked dal with rice and peeled garlic (wait for 1 whistle, reduce flame and cook in low heat for 10 minutes). Mash it gently without breaking too much.
Dissolve jaggery in boiling water, remove any sediments.
Bring to boil the mashed urid dal with jaggery solution.
Coarsely grind coconut with cardamom and add it to the boiling kheer.
Put the dry ginger powder and switch off.
Uluntham payasam is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Serve warm as dessert or breakfast.