The delicacy of the world - hairy crab

The season for hairy crabs is finally here! With the ultimate guide from selection to cooking, are you ready to feast on them? As a loyal crab fan, I can’t wait.

How to choose the best hairy crabs, remember this motto: "nine females and ten males". In the ninth month of the lunar calendar, eat female crabs, the crab roe is juicy and tender, and in the tenth month of the lunar calendar, eat male crabs, the crab roe is rich. To distinguish between male and female, just observe the abdomen of the crab. The abdomen of the female crab is oval, while the abdomen of the male crab is pointed.

The secret of how to clean hairy crabs is to keep the crab ropes tight to prevent your hands from getting caught, use a toothbrush (a new one is better) to clean them, hold the crab shell upwards with your thumb and middle finger on both sides, focus on cleaning the white belly, crab legs and crab claws, brush the crab hair vigorously, and rinse continuously, and put the crab in a bucket after cleaning to let it "breathe". The key is to avoid getting caught, because it's not worth it if you get caught before you eat it.

There are many ways to cook hairy crabs, but I still prefer to respect the original flavor. The best cooking methods for hairy crabs are steaming and boiling, which can retain the original flavor of hairy crabs to the greatest extent. When eating, dip it in minced ginger and vinegar juice to dispel cold and kill bacteria.

Please note that there are four parts that are not edible: crab gills, crab stomach, crab heart, and crab intestines. Pregnant women and people with weak spleen and stomach should eat them with caution. Avoid eating with persimmons, beer, and tea. Drink a cup of brown sugar ginger tea after a meal to warm the stomach.