How long does Crab Masala take?

40 minutes from start to finish. That is 20 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking.

How many people does Crab Masala serve?

4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.

Is Crab Masala spicy?

It is hot: 3 on our scale of 3. Chilli scales gently when you change the servings, so doubling the recipe does not double the heat.

What do I need to make Crab Masala?

500 grams Crab, ¼ cup Coconut (Grated), 1 Dry Red Chilli, 1 Green Chilli, 1 Onion, 1 Bay Leaves, and a few more listed on this page.

Do I need a pressure cooker for Crab Masala?

No, it is cooked in an open pot.

How many calories are in Crab Masala?

About 297 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.

Crab MasalaCook

Crab Masala

Name: Crab Masala
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian, Tamil Nadu
Ingredients: 1 tbsp Oil; 1 tbsp Coriander Seeds; 2 tsp Cumin; ½ tsp Black Peppercorns; ½ tsp Black Peppercorns; 1 Dry Red Chilli; 1 Green Chilli; 1 Onion, Thinly Sliced; 5 cloves Garlic; 1 inch Ginger; 1 tsp Fennel Seeds; ¼ cup Coconut (Grated); ¼ cup Water; 2 tbsp Oil; 1 Bay Leaves; 1 Onion, Finely Chopped; 10 Curry leaves; 1 Tomato, Finely Chopped; 1 tsp Turmeric Powder; 1 tbsp Red Chilli Powder; 1½ cup Water; As Needed Salt; 500 grams Crab; 2 tbsp Coriander Leaves, Finely Chopped

40 min
hot
Serves 4

Prep 20 min · Cook 20 min

Start cooking

8 steps, each one filmed. A short video for every step, so your hands never have to leave the pan.

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Also known as Crab Masala, Nandu Masala, Tamilnadu Crab Masala, Spicy Crab Masala, Crab Gravy · Non-veg · Curries & Gravies, Kuzhambu, Sambar & Rasam

Curries & Gravies Kuzhambu, Sambar & Rasam Low carb High protein Gluten-free Dairy-free

Crab masala, or nandu masala: crab in onion and tomato with a freshly roasted paste of coconut, fennel and pepper. Spicy, serves 4, 40 minutes, with video.

High proteinLow calorie

Good for: Party

Ingredients

21 items

4 people

Oil3 tbsp
Coriander Seeds1 tbsp
Cumin2 tsp
Black Peppercorns1 tsp
Dry Red Chilli1
Green Chilli1
Onion, Thinly Sliced1
Garlic5 cloves
Ginger1 inch
Fennel Seeds1 tsp
Coconut (Grated)¼ cup
Water1¾ cup
Bay Leaves1
Onion, Finely Chopped1
Curry leaves10
Tomato, Finely Chopped1
Turmeric Powder1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder1 tbsp
SaltAs Needed
Crab500 grams
Coriander Leaves, Finely Chopped2 tbsp

Contains: shellfish.

Nutrition

Per 1 person, and for all 4 people. Worked out from the ingredients, so treat it as a close guide.

Nutrient	Per 1 person	All 4 people
Energy	297kcal	1188kcal
Protein	25g	100g
Carbohydrate	13g	54g
Fat	16g	65g
Fibre	4g	16g
Sugar	3.5g	14g

Cookd masalas for crab

Method

1
Heat a pan, add oil and add all the ingredients under roast and grind except fennel seeds and grated coconut. Saute until the spices emit aroma.
OilCoriander SeedsCuminBlack PeppercornsBlack PeppercornsDry Red ChilliGreen ChilliOnionGarlicGinger
2
Add fennel seeds and grated coconut to the hot ingredients and mix well.
Fennel SeedsCoconut (Grated)
3
Once cool, add the mixture to a mixer grinder and grind into a fine paste with ¼ Cup of water.
Water
4
Heat a pan, add oil and then add the bay leaf. Add chopped onion, curry leaves and saute well till it starts to turn golden brown.
OilBay LeavesOnionCurry leaves
5
Add chopped tomato, add turmeric powder and chilli powder. Saute till the tomatoes turn mushy.
TomatoTurmeric PowderRed Chilli Powder
6
Add water, salt and crab to the masala mixture and cook covered for 7 minutes.
WaterSaltCrab
7
Add the spice masala paste to it, mix well and cook for 5 minutes.
8
Add coriander leaves and serve it hot.
Coriander Leaves

Before you start

How long does Crab Masala take?: 40 minutes from start to finish. That is 20 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking.
How many people does Crab Masala serve?: 4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.
Is Crab Masala vegetarian?: No, it contains meat or fish.
Is Crab Masala spicy?: It is hot: 3 on our scale of 3. Chilli scales gently when you change the servings, so doubling the recipe does not double the heat.
What do I need to make Crab Masala?: 500 grams Crab, ¼ cup Coconut (Grated), 1 Dry Red Chilli, 1 Green Chilli, 1 Onion, 1 Bay Leaves, and a few more listed on this page.
Do I need a pressure cooker for Crab Masala?: No, it is cooked in an open pot.
How many calories are in Crab Masala?: About 297 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.

Tips from other cooks

9 notes

A
AkshayaFebruary 2022
Nice recipe. Me and My family really enjoyed it.
C
A Cookd cookOctober 2026
Really taste good but a bit spicy for me, btw i tried crab for the frist time. Thank u for the receipe
S
Sweetlin Stella DavidFebruary 2025
Tasty recipe ♥️
S
Sujith David RoyJanuary 2025
Crabbing it 😋
ElanAugust 2024
The recipe went out really good. Thank you so much Cookd team for helping me cook a delicious crap dish ❤️
G
Grace GeraldineJuly 2024
just yumminess
C
A Cookd cookMarch 2024
tried this and it came out very well. thanks for recipes 🙏🏻
C
A Cookd cookAugust 2023
Awesome taste
C
A Cookd cookFebruary 2023
It's awesome....