To begin making the Chettinadu Nandu Varuval recipe, clean and wash crab well. I cut them into pieces. Marinate crab with little turmeric powder, salt and keep aside for 30 minutes.

Bring 1 litre of water to boil and add crab to the boiling water. Cook for 3-5 minutes, drain the crab from boiled water and keep aside.

In a wok/kadhai, heat oil. Add ginger garlic paste and cook until the raw smell of the paste is gone. Add shallots, green chilies and dried red chilies. Saute and cook until onions turn translucent.

Now add tomatoes and cook until tomatoes turn mushy and oil separates from the sides of the pan.

Add the spice powders and give it a quick mix. Add salt to taste, mix.

Add cooked crab into the pan, mix well to coat all the crab pieces well with the spice masala. Reduce the flame to low, cover and cook until crab is fully cooked and masala turns dry.

Remove from pan, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot. Serve Chettinad Nandu Varuval with steamed rice and Mamsaam Chops as side dish or serve it as a starter.