When buying hairy crabs, should you choose male or female?
Hairy crabs are famous worldwide for their rich roe and creamy paste, and they are sold on the market as male or female. So are male or female hairy crabs better? In fact, the best time to eat male or female Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs differs greatly depending on the period. As for whether male or female hairy crabs taste better, it depends on when you eat them, and the crabs you choose at different times are also different. Let's take a look together below!
Are male or female hairy crabs better?
Whether male or female hairy crabs are better depends on when the hairy crabs hit the market. In the early season when hairy crabs are available, you should eat female crabs. At this time, male crabs have very little paste, and female crabs have only a little bit of roe. Around mid-October, female crabs are basically completely full and the roe has hardened, and female crabs at this time are the most delicious. By around mid-November, it is the turn of male crabs. At that time, the roe of female crabs has become too hard and actually not good to eat, while the paste of male crabs is just sticky to the mouth, and after eating it, your whole mouth feels as if it could be glued shut.
The difference between male and female hairy crabs
The simplest way to identify male and female hairy crabs is to look at the abdomen of the hairy crab. Male crabs wear "thongs," while female crabs wear "diapers." That is to say, the shell plate growing close to the flesh on the abdomen of a male crab is pointed, while that of a female crab is round. There is also another method: open the shell. If there is yellow, that is crab roe, so it is definitely female. If it is white, that is crab paste, so it is definitely male. Male crabs have more meat than female crabs.
How to choose high-quality hairy crabs
1. Blue-green back: The shell of the hairy crab is a blue-green mud color, smooth and glossy. Because this color is elegant and clean and appealing, it is called the blue-shell crab. This is the unique appearance given to it by the clear water of Taihu Lake. The blue-green back looks as if it is coated with a layer of bright oil. At a rough glance it is nearly gray; on closer look it is like a crystal lamp, gray with blue-green, blue-green and shining. Compared with other crabs, it looks full of spirit, simply like a mighty, dazzling armored general.
2. White belly: The umbilical abdominal shell that touches the mud is crystal clear and white, without ink-colored spots. The belly shell of the hairy crab is generally white, unusually white, with a luster within the white, giving a feeling of crystal clarity and whiteness. This is because the clear bottom of Taihu Lake is covered with dense bristle grass and other aquatic plants. The hairy crabs living there often crawl on the aquatic plants and rub against them, just like vessels being constantly washed and polished in clear water. Therefore, the white belly of Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs can give people a jade-like sense of beauty in appearance.
3. Golden claws: The claws of the hairy crab are golden yellow, firm and strong. Placed on a glass plate, its eight legs stand upright, its two pincers are raised, and its umbilical back arches, making it look majestic. The claws of Taihu Lake hairy crabs are close to the golden yellow of top-grade tobacco, so they are also called golden-claw crabs, while ordinary crabs often come into contact with mud and are grayish brown. The “golden claws” of Taihu Lake hairy crabs are also given to them by the unique natural environment of Taihu Lake. As the crabs crawl on the lake bottom, their claws often poke into yellow mud and gravel and often step on aquatic plants. This is not only much cleaner than crawling in soft mud, but because the lake bottom is hard and flat, just like a natural sports ground, the crabs crawling on it naturally develop strong and powerful claws matching their burly build.
4. Yellow hair: The hair on the legs of Taihu Lake hairy crabs is long and yellow, each strand upright. The down on the two pincers and eight legs of the hairy crab is golden yellow and reaches 3-4 cm in length. Ordinary crabs not only have grayish-brown claws, but their down is also short.
5. Six looks
① Look at the shell: if the shell is bright in color, glossy, and dark green, it is generally thick and firm. If it is yellow, it is mostly thinner and weaker. It is even better if you can pick one with “golden hair and golden claws.”
② Look at the navel: if the navel protrudes, it generally has rich fat and full paste; if it is sunken, it mostly lacks fat and body. When holding the crab in your hand, it should also feel “heavy” enough. Only then have you chosen a hairy crab that is plump and rich in paste with full crab meat.
③ Look at the legs: if the legs are firm and the “leg hair” on the crab legs is dense, it is generally full of fat and strong. If hairless, it is mostly soft-bodied and lacking fat.
④ Look at male or female. As the saying goes: “In the eighth lunar month choose female crabs; after the ninth month choose male crabs.” This is because after the ninth lunar month, the gonads of male crabs mature well, and the taste and nutrition are at their best. Generally, those with a round navel are female crabs, and those with a pointed navel are male crabs.
⑤ Look at vitality: turn the crab over. If it can quickly use its legs to spring and turn back, it shows strong vitality. If it cannot turn back, its vitality is poor and it cannot be stored for long.
⑥ Observe its “sideways walk.” When crawling, those whose belly and abdomen are off the ground are good ones. Of course, if all the crab legs are tied up, then that does not apply here. However, you can also see whether the crab reacts sensitively. If, when you touch it beside the eyes with your hand or a twig, the eyeballs move flexibly and it reacts quickly, or it “spits white bubbles from its mouth,” then it is still lively enough and fresh.