Description
The absolute pinnacle of Shanghai autumn cuisine. Live Shanghai Hairy Crabs are bound with twine and simply steamed with scallions and ginger. Features the violently rich umami of the sticky golden 'crab roe/tomalley (Xie Huang)' and the male crab's gelatinous 'milt (Xie Gao)'. Eaten dipped in a ginger-black vinegar sauce.
Restaurants serving Qing Zheng Da Zha Xie (Steamed Shanghai Hairy Crab)
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Shanghai crab(Substitute with live Japanese Mitten Crab/Mokuzu-gani)
- Ginger
- Scallion
- Black vinegar
- Soy sauce
- Sugar
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe & Japanese Substitute]
- (Crab Selection/Sub) Importing live Shanghai crabs is heavily restricted in Japan. To perfectly replicate this, use the Japanese 'Mokuzu-gani' (Japanese mitten crab), which is biologically the same species. Source them live from clear rivers or markets.
- Purge live crabs in fresh water for days.
- Scrub shells and hairy claws meticulously with a brush.
- Bind the legs and claws tightly to the body with twine to prevent them from dropping off during cooking.
- (Steaming Secret) Place the crab in a bamboo steamer with its belly [ALWAYS FACING UP] (to prevent the roe from leaking).
- Place sliced ginger and scallion on the belly to erase odors.
- Steam on high for 15-
- mins until brilliant red.
- (Dipping Sauce) Serve with 'Jiang Zhi Cu'—a mix of black vinegar (Zhenjiang), soy sauce, sugar, and massive amounts of minced ginger.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Rich crab roe umami and refreshing tartness of ginger black vinegar、生姜黒酢のさっぱりとした酸味
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
(Use live Japanese Mokuzu-gani or Tsugani)
Pairing
Warm Shaoxing Wine (Absolutely mandatory) / Ginger Tea
Trivia
[Trivia] There is a saying: 'Females in the 9th month, Males in the 10th' (Lunar calendar). In autumn Shanghai, it is said you cannot survive winter without eating this. Premium crabs from 'Yangcheng Lake' are traded as luxury items costing tens to hundreds of dollars each.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Because crab possesses 'cooling' (Yin) properties in Chinese medicine, it MUST be paired with warming 'Hot Shaoxing Wine' and 'Ginger tea'. Shanghai aesthetics demand using an 8-piece crab tool set to open the shell, slurp the roe, and extract every microscopic shred of meat from the legs.
Allergen
Crab, Soybeans, Wheat (Soy sauce)