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Big, Fat, Hairy Deal
Known alternatively as the Shanghai hairy crab, the big binding crab and the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis), these upper crustaceans are found in the coastal estuaries of Eastern Asia, with the distinguishing feature of disturbingly dense patches of mossy hair covering their claws. The body of the hairy crab is about the size of your palm, and, unlike the sweet legs of Alaskan king or the luscious claws of the Dungeness, it’s the coral-coloured roe within that makes it the most revered food in Hong Kong. The import of hairy crabs into Canada has been prohibited for more than a decade for environmental reasons, so to get your fix, you’ve got to fly to the Far East, where, for six weeks out of the year, during autumn’s ninth lunar month, the hairy crab is king. |
