Olakkal Nandu Gravy is a simple crab curry prepared by the fishing communities using blue swimming crabs, onions, tomatoes, green chillies, turmeric, and kozhambu powder. Traditionally served with steamed rice, it is a quick and comforting meal that features the catch small-scale fishers often bring home.
The recipe comes from Papa, a 60-year-old female fisher from Chinnapalam, a village in Rameshwaram. It is simple and quick to prepare after a long day of hard work. As women too go into the sea to fish, this recipe reflects the adjustments and innovations they often make in the kitchen as they balance productive and care work. As is the case with all gravy-based preparations, spices and vegetables can be added based on seasonal availability and personal preference.
Caption: Blue swimming crab being sold at the Rameshwaram market
Ingredients
| Blue swimming crab | 2 |
|---|---|
| Onions | 2, medium |
| Tomatoes | 2, medium |
| Green chilli | to taste |
| Oil | 2 tablespoons |
| Water | 250 ml (1 cup), plus more if needed |
| Turmeric powder | 2 teaspoons |
| Kozhambu powder | 1 tablespoon |
| Salt | to taste |
What You Will Need
A medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot, spatula
Instructions
Begin by cleaning the crabs thoroughly with water and salt. Break the crabs into pieces by hand and set aside.
Slice the onions, tomatoes, and green chillies. Traditionally, this is done using an aruvamanai, a knife fixed to a wooden base. In Papa’s kitchen, a knife is placed between her toes to recreate the motion of an aruvamanai.
Heat the oil in a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
Add the sliced onions, tomatoes, and green chillies and sauté until they soften.
Add the crab pieces and toss well with the vegetables.
Add 250 ml (1 cup) of water and bring to a simmer.
Add the turmeric powder, kozhambu powder, and salt. Stir well to combine, adding a little more water if the gravy is too thick.
Cover the pot and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the gravy from catching at the bottom, or until the crab is cooked through.
Serve hot with steamed rice, and fish fry if available.
Tips:
Ginger-galic paste can be added before adding the onion for more flavour.
Variations:
Vegetables like brinjals and drumsticks may be added based on preference.
This recipe was shared by Papa, a 60-year-old fisher from Chinnapalam, a village in Rameshwaram.
This recipe was documented by Rashmi Sridhar and photographed by Revathi Sunil.
Rashmi Sridar is the Writer-Researcher fellow from Tamil Nadu, trained in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and environmental law. She is interested in working with fishing communities using participatory approaches with a focus on women’s labour, seafood markets, and collective action.
Revathi Sunil is the Audio-Visual fellow from Tamil Nadu. She is a Bengaluru-based filmmaker, writer, and editor interested in intimate, non-intrusive storytelling that centres the dignity, complexity, and perspectives of those furthest from the frame.
This story is part of the Woman Farmer Project, a multimedia storytelling initiative led by The Locavore in partnership with the Doc Society Climate Story Kitchen. It aims to build a roadmap for successful collaborations between institutions and innovative grassroots networks who are committed to amplifying climate stories.
The Doc Society supports climate action across the globe by championing independent filmmakers, audio producers, journalists, and artists working alongside impact producers and movement builders to bring more communities into climate conversations to advance climate just and biodiverse futures.
Editor: Ishani Banerjee
Copy editor: Khorshed Deboo
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