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shop now!Hairy crabs have been a well known delicacy for decades. Many who do not know about it are often left surprised because of its expensive retail value, especially considering how little meat there is available in each crab. As a food connoisseur, we would recommend you to compare them within the ranks of foie gras and caviar!
Hairy crabs are not huge. They weight about 200 to 250 grams, and no bigger than the size of a human palm. Their body is of a dark green, and their legs a golden yellow with fur.
They are highly adaptive, and they usually migrate from freshwater lakes to the ocean upon sexual maturity. Prized for their great amounts of roe and milt, that no other crab or crustacean is known to possess.
On an ordinary day of business operation, it is very normal for customers to request for female crabs, because of their desire to enjoy the roe of the crab. It is no surprise to why the existence of the hairy crab will be nothing but joy for these customers.
Also known as the Chinese mitten crab, it has gained popularity not only in all parts of China, but throughout the World too. In Singapore, hairy crab fanatics are usually very aware of its seasonal availability.
Due to their characteristics, hairy crabs experience high sexual arousal just before autumn (before the month of September). As a result, the male hairy crabs produce a lot of milt, and the females, a lot of eggs. They are always harvested in September for selling and consumption till December.
Hairy crabs are harvested for sale in September, but this is usually because of the commercial purpose of Mid-autumn festival. They are not fully mature yet, but have an iconic significance to the Chinese celebrations. In our experience the best time to consume the crab is in October.
As we know by now, hairy crabs are prized for their milt and roe. Therefore, to enjoy one with excessive roe or milt, you should consume it during full sexual maturity.
There is a reason to why we are known for serving the best hairy crabs in Singapore. There are a few methods in which seafood specialists like us use to determine this and we would like to share with you how.
In order to determine sexual maturity, we have to determine the strength of a hairy crab. Experienced crabbers like ourselves can do this just by gently pressing the legs of a hairy crab. If it is hard, it is mature and old enough. There is definitely going to be a good amount of roe and milt inside the crab. But, what is hard? How do we define it? It is something that is pretty difficult to quantify through an informative article like this. Another method that can be used is to let the live hairy crab cling onto your shirt or a piece of cloth. If it falls off, it means that its legs are still too weak, and hence, highly likely that it has not reached full sexual maturity.
Crabs from Yang Cheng Lake have been famed for decades to be home to the best hairy crabs in the World. The crabs from this lake are more expensive than those from any other freshwater lake in China. The conditions and natural ecosystem of this lake allows the growth and development of the crabs to result in them having sweet and fragrant meat, with high levels of milt and roe upon sexual maturity.
Some important characteristics of this crab include a dark green back, golden legs, yellow hairs, and a white belly. Also, if you were to take an authentic Yang Cheng Lake hairy crab and wipe its back clean of water, it will still appear to be very shiny.
To prevent misrepresentation and scams, crabs coming out from this lake are also tagged with an authenticity label.
To enjoy the best hairy crab experience, ensure that these factors check out, when purchasing with your local seller.
Hairy crabs are highly adaptable in the kitchen. They are many ways to prepare a dish that consists of hairy crab, but having it steamed has to be the most favourite method of preparation in Singapore. However, we have a secret to share, and that is boiling it, is actually much better.
Boiling your hairy crabs will result in smoother skin. We still sell it as steamed, but in actual fact, we boil it.
In the month of September you can boil it for 10 to 15 minutes. But in October, when the crabs are more mature, you are adviced to boil them for a few more minutes.
Picking a good hairy crab and knowing how to prepare one are true culinary arts that require experience to perfect. Try out our famed hairy crabs today and enjoy delivery under one hour!