Mid-autumn is the season when crab roe is at its most delicious. This is a delicacy not to be missed. However, steaming crabs requires a certain skill, and crabs are considered a cold-natured food, making them unsuitable for people with a weak digestive system. But if you still want to indulge, you'll need to learn these little tricks. Let's take a look.
Golden Autumn Delicacy: Steamed Crabs
3 Tips for Steaming Crabs
1. First, give the crabs a salt bath. Soak them in salt water for half an hour. This helps the crabs expel some of the dirt from their bodies, and the resulting meat will be more tender and the flavor more savory.
2. After soaking, it's time for a scrub. Use an old, small toothbrush to clean the crab's shell and the areas around its legs. This makes them more hygienic to eat.
3. When placing them in the steamer, arrange the crabs comfortably on their backs. This way, the crab's abdomen is fully exposed to the steam, which helps to sterilize and speeds up the cooking process. Additionally, crabs steamed this way are less likely to lose their claws, remain intact, and have a bright, reddish color, making them more appetizing when served!
Several Delicious Autumn Crab Remedies
I. Crab Roe and Ginkgo Soup
Ingredients: 200g crab roe, 400g raw ginkgo nuts, 150g raw chicken, 150g pork belly, 25g cooked lard, 6g salt, 1g pepper, 500g fresh broth;
Method:
Crush the ginkgo nuts, remove the shells, blanch them in boiling water, peel, and remove the cores. Cut the pork into chunks. Heat oil in a wok over high heat, add the pork and chicken chunks, and stir-fry until they change color. Add salt, pepper, and fresh broth. Bring to a boil, then pour into a casserole dish, add the ginkgo nuts, and simmer until the nuts crack. Use another casserole dish, pour in the fresh broth, add the crab roe, pepper, and salt, bring to a boil, then pour it back into the original casserole. Adjust the seasoning and serve in bowls.
Benefits: This soup has the effects of clearing heat, nourishing yin, astringing the lungs, and stopping cough. It is considered a supplementary treatment for lung diseases, coughs, asthma, and bronchitis.
II. Crab and Tofu Soup
Ingredients: 1500g fresh crab, 90g tofu, a small amount of greens, ginger, cooking wine, salt, and starch as needed;
Method:
Remove the crab meat and mash it with the tofu. Add salt, ginger, cooking wine, and starch, mix well, and form into balls. Bring broth or chicken stock to a boil in a pot. Add the tofu and crab balls one by one, bring back to a boil, then add salt and a small amount of greens.
Benefits: This soup has the effects of clearing heat and toxins, and promoting the production of body fluids to moisten dryness. It is effective for constipation, dry mouth and bitter taste, fever and thirst, and skin sores caused by excessive internal heat.
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