CATDOLL : CATDOLL: The origin of crabs

Origin of Crab

1. Yangcheng Lake hairy crab

This crab is produced in Yangcheng Lake in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. It is a famous Chinese specialty that is well-known both at home and abroad, and it is also China's first well-known Chinese trademark for aquatic products. Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs have always been known as the best crabs. Yangcheng Lake is rippling with blue waves, the water is as pure as a mirror, the water is deep and hard, the aquatic plants are lush, the extension is wide, and the climate is pleasant. It is the most ideal "crystal palace" for crabs to settle and grow. Each crab is large and fat. Generally, three crabs weigh 500 grams. The big ones only weigh more than 250 grams, and the largest ones can reach 500 grams. They have green backs, white bellies, golden claws, yellow hairs, and ten strong limbs. The crab meat is plump and nutritious. Since ancient times, Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs have attracted countless diners. Mrs. Tang Guoli, wife of Zhang Taiyan, has a poem saying: "If Yangcheng crabs were not delicious, why would I live in Suzhou in this life!"

2. Gucheng Lake hairy crab

This crab is produced in Gucheng Lake in Gaochun, Jiangsu. Gucheng Lake has a hundred-mile radius, rippling blue waves, lush aquatic plants, and a wide extension. The crabs grown here are particularly unique in shape and meat quality among crabs. Their meat is plump, tender, delicious, and rich in nutrition. Every 100 grams of Gucheng Lake crab meat contains 14 grams of protein, 13 milligrams of iron, 0.71 milligrams of riboflavin, and 5960 international units of vitamin A. In the early years of the Republic of China, Shi Jinmo, one of the four famous doctors in Beijing, compared Gucheng Lake crabs to the top crabs in the world.

3. Liangzi Lake hairy crab

The hairy crabs from Liangzi Lake in Ezhou City, Hubei Province, are fully ecologically farmed and are products marked with the place of origin. "Poems and essays about Jiangxia are preserved throughout the ages, and crabs are growing fat by the Liangzi Lake." Two years ago, Yu Qiuyu improvised a poem at the opening ceremony of the cultural festival, which made the crabs from Liangzi Lake famous. Liangzi Lake is the second largest lake in Hubei Province, and two-thirds of its surface is within the territory of Jiangxia District. The lake water is clear and the water quality meets the second-level standard. The crabs produced are large, white-bellied, fresh and delicious. In 2004, the "Liangzi" brand Liangzi Lake hairy crabs were awarded the product of place of origin protection, and its trademark was successively awarded the title of "Famous Trademark of Hubei Province". The products are favored by consumers, sold nationwide, and exported to 7 countries and regions including South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, earning US$5 million annually. Liangzi Lake is one of the freshwater lakes with the largest water capacity in Hubei Province, and its lake area ranks second in the province. It is the hometown of the world-famous Wuchang fish. The crab farming area of ​​Liangzi Lake is nearly 6 times that of Yangcheng Lake in Suzhou, and the output is twice that of Yangcheng Lake. The water quality meets the national Class 2 standard. Eating crabs in Liangzi Lake is a must.

4. Tianjin Purple Crab

This is a type of Chinese mitten crab. It is small, only the size of a coat button. When you peel off the crab shell, the crab roe is purple like pig liver, and turns orange-red when cooked. It tastes very delicious. Purple crabs are produced in the cold winter, so they are often used in mixed hot pot.

5. Laizhou Crab

This crab is a famous specialty of Ye County. Because Ye County was the seat of Laizhou Prefecture in ancient times, the name of Laizhou Crab has been passed down to this day. There are three raised parts on the back of Laizhou Crab, and each of the front side edges has 9 serrations. The last tooth is particularly long and shaped like a shuttle, so it is commonly known as "three-spotted swimming crab". This crab is large and delicious, with tender meat. The largest female crab weighs 0.75 kilograms. The eggs of the female crab, the fat of the male crab, the white and tender muscles in the claws, and the meat on the hind legs of the big crab are even more delicious and tasty, leaving you with an endless aftertaste.

6. Swimming Crab

Liaoning Xingcheng swimming crab: The meat of this crab is white, tender, and the roe is like solidified fat. It tastes delicious and is the best quality sea crab.

7. South Lake Crab

This crab is produced in the Hangzhou, Jiaxing and Lake water network areas of Zhejiang Province. It is famous for its large size and delicious meat. In the past, the lake crabs here were naturally reproduced and caught and put on the market every year during the flood season. Now artificial reproduction and stocking have begun, and have achieved certain results.

When we talk about hairy crabs, we think of Yangcheng Lake. Besides these, what else do you know?

Every year in July and August, when the autumn wind blows and the temperature drops, it is the best time for the famous ingredient hairy crab to enter people's menu. Due to the brand effect, most people will reflexively think of Yangcheng Lake when they mention hairy crabs. Yangcheng Lake is indeed famous for its water quality and climate. However, the scientific name of hairy crabs is Chinese mitten crabs, which are widely distributed in my country from Liaohe River to Pearl River and the vast freshwater river basins. Even if we only consider the Yangtze River basin with large production and delicious meat, hairy crabs are not only produced in Yangcheng Lake.

1. Famous lakes producing hairy crabs

In addition to Yangcheng Lake in Kunshan, Gaoyou Lake and Weishan Lake in Yangzhou, Taihu Lake in Suzhou, and Hongze Lake in Huai'an are also famous places for producing hairy crabs. This is because hairy crabs are common creatures in my country and are widely distributed in lakes of various water systems.

In recent years, as the fashion of tasting hairy crabs and using crabs as gifts has gradually emerged, various regions with suitable conditions have introduced improved varieties, built crab farms, and carried out large-scale artificial breeding. As a result, the number and quality of hairy crabs appearing on the market have naturally increased, and the output of Yangcheng Lake alone is far from enough to eat.

2. What kind of crab is delicious?

Since they are both Chinese mitten crabs, you don't have to be 100% obsessed with those produced in Yangcheng Lake when purchasing.

Even if they are produced in different waters, delicious crabs must have something in common. For example, before buying, observe the crab's movements. Strong movements and frequent bubbling indicate that the crab is healthy and fresh. Observe the crab's body. The bulge on the back shell indicates that the crab meat, crab paste or crab roe are well developed. Observe the crab's body surface. If it is relatively clean and free of dirt, it indicates that the water quality of the living water is good.

If you master the method of selecting hairy crabs, you will definitely be able to buy delicious crabs.

3. What seasonings should be served with hairy crabs?

In the food culture of many countries, there is a habit of "pairing food with food that is close to the area". For example, white wine traditionally produced in a certain place in Europe is often paired with local seafood feasts on the table. There is actually a scientific reason behind this habit, because if a variety of ingredients are produced in a similar area and have been selected by a large number of locals for a long time and are still preserved, it means that this combination has successfully passed the test of most people.

Therefore, the simplest and most delicious way to eat hairy crabs is to steam them, and the most suitable foods to pair with steamed hairy crabs are the rice wine, perilla and Zhenjiang vinegar that the people of Jiangsu and Zhejiang love most.

What I know is that when people mention hot dry noodles, they think of Wuhan; when people mention knife-cut noodles, they think of Shanxi; when people mention jelly, they think of Hunyuan; when people mention Beijing, they think of roast duck; when they mention Henan, they think of stewed noodles, because these are some of the more famous local foods.

The places with better hairy crabs include Taihu Lake, Hongze Lake, and Gucheng Lake. The hairy crabs of better quality are from Taihu Lake, where the meat is fatter and more delicious.

Autumn is the time to eat hairy crabs. The hairy crabs from Yangcheng Lake are very famous. They are large and full of roe, and are very satisfying to bite. In addition, some sea crabs are also very plump.

Wuchang fish, hot dry noodles, Shanxi aged vinegar, when talking about the Forbidden City one thinks of Beijing, when talking about Longjing tea one thinks of West Lake, Changsha’s stinky tofu.