🇨🇳 Chinese Cuisine

大闸蟹 (Da Zha Xie)

Hairy Crab

Prep Time 30 minutes
Servings 2
Difficulty Easy

Prized freshwater mitten crabs from Yangcheng Lake, simply steamed and eaten with a dipping sauce of black vinegar and ginger. The golden roe inside is considered a supreme delicacy.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1 Scrub crabs clean and tie legs with kitchen string to keep shape.
  2. 2 Line a steamer with perilla leaves and place crabs belly-up.
  3. 3 Steam over high heat for fifteen minutes until shells turn bright orange.
  4. 4 Mix vinegar, sugar, and julienned ginger for dipping sauce.
  5. 5 Serve immediately with crab-eating tools and warm Shaoxing wine.

Did You Know?

Hairy crab season lasts only from October to December, and genuine Yangcheng Lake crabs sell for premium prices with anti-counterfeit tags.