Dear ladies, gentlemen and children the autumn is here and so the hairy crabs as well. Did you know that there are different styles when eating them: traditional (formal) and family (finger) style. Let’s discover this delicacy together!
Before we start, let’s have a quick check on your hairy crab knowledge! (See the answers below)
1. Which parts of crab are inedible?
A. Heart, gills, shell, stomach, intestine
B. Roe
C. Crabmeat
2. How do you recognize the sex of the crab?
A. Crab’s belly shows: oval for females, triangular for male
B. Female crabs are smaller than males
C. Crab’s belly shows, oval for males, triangular for females
3. Do both female and male crabs have roe?
A. Yes
B. No
4. How to distinguish male from female roe?
A. There is no difference
B. The male roe is creamier, buttery and lava-like while the female roe is denser, darker in colour and more solid (crumbly).
C. The female roe is creamier, buttery and lava-like while the male roe is denser, darker in colour and more solid (crumbly).
Formal (traditional) style
8 pieces set
1. Scissors
2. Tiny table
3. Hammer
4. Axe
5. Scraper
6. Fork
7. Spoon
8. Tweezers
Step 1: Cut off the legs and pincers with the scissors.
Step 2: Cut the legs at the joints. Use the fork to push out the meat.
Step 3: Use the hammer to gently crack the claw. Use the fork then to pick up the meat as in step 2.
Step 4: Use the axe to cut off the apron (the abdomen on the underside) and open the crab from there, starting from the shell and then moving to the body.
Step 5: Use the tweezers to remove the stomach.
Step 6: Use the spoon to eat the roe.
Step 7: By using the scissors cut off the mouth and use the tweezers to remove the heart.
Step 8: Take the scraper and remove the gills
Step 9: With both hands tear off the body in half.
Step 10: With spoon or fork you can easily enjoy the delicacy that remained.
Step 11: Enjoy the ginger tea or yellow wine.
Family (finger) style
The needed cutlery
1. Crab spoon
2. Chopsticks
3. Scissors
Step 1: Cut off all the legs & claws with the scissors. Place them back on the plate in an elegant way.
Step 2: Cut the legs at the joints with the scissors.
Step 3: Use the smaller segment to push out the meat from the bigger one.
Step 4: Cut along the pincer and open it, remove the flesh with chopsticks or a spoon. Continue the same with the rest of the claw segments.
Step 5: Then remove the tail (abdomen) with scissors or hands.
Step 6: Remove the top shell and then stomach in one part.
Step 7: Eat roe with spoon
Step 8: Take the other part and remove the gills with fingers, heart with chopsticks.
Step 9: By holding the body with both hands, break it in two halves and enjoy it.
Step 10: Drink ginger tea or yellow wine along with it!
Answers:
1. A
2. A
3. A
4. C
Kind reminder
Please place the crab leftovers in a tidy and elegant fashion no matter the style.
I am quite sure after this article you must be feeling hungry, I encourage you to have a hairy crab! Let us know how it went! Do you have some questions / concerns? Please share!
