How to Eat the Hairy Crab?

How to Eat the Hairy Crab?

Snip the crab legs off the body with the pair of scissors provided. Eat the flesh in the legs first as they get cold the quickest. Break the legs at the joints between the thigh and calf. Cut off the other part of the joints on the thigh. Use its calf and insert it into the thigh to push the meat out. Savour the chewy and tasty meat with the dipping sauce to enhance the taste. To make the dipping sauce, add some thinly slice ginger into the crab vinegar provided. 

Break one end of the claws and discard. Use a pick to dish out the meat from the claw. Then cut away both end of the joints attaching to the claws and body and dish out the meat. Enjoy the meat with the dipping sauce.

Lift flap or belly on the underside of the crab and discard. Female crab has round-shaped belly while the male crab has triangle-shaped belly. Pry open the top shell slowly to reveal the roe on the shell and savour the goodness of the roe with the spoon. Do not eat the teeth and stomach near the mouth which is very hard. Anything else can be eaten. 

Alternatively, use a pair of scissors to cut right across the shell in the middle. In this way, the roe inside will not stick to the shell but left intact on the body. Slowly pry open both sides of the shell to reveal the whole chunk of roe. Female crabs tend to have firmer roe, is reddish in colour and drier – similar to the texture of salted egg yolk while male crabs tend to have a creamier and wet texture and is yellowish in colour.

Remove and discard the gills on both sides of the body as they cannot be eaten. They function as a filter from dust and dirt for the crab. Break the body in half to reveal more roe. Eat the roe and flesh. Remove and discard the intestine about an inch long which is found inside the body. This cannot be eaten as it stores the faecal material of the crab.

Remove and discard the heart which is the white hexagon-shaped portion in the middle which is not to be eaten due to its inherent “cooling” nature according to traditional Chinese medicinal practice.

Enjoy and share the joy with your family, friends and colleagues. Like they say, “Good Things Must Share!”