Likely the clear water crabs are being packed on the spot instead. The process involved picint a llive crab from a bigger basket, tie it up, and put them into smaller baskets or boxes. There is a Cantonese proverb 倒瀉籮蟹, literrally describing the muck after the bigger basket containing these un-tied crabs are turned sideways........ and imagine the escaping crabs in all directions with the workers chasing after them...... The issue is crabs has clamps and would fight back when threathened........
In August 1981, after 22 years of telling her that she must see Hong Kong, I'd saved up enough money for a two week holiday and we stayed at the Hong Kong Hotel In Tsim Sha Tsui. We had some great meals in the Spice Market restaurant at the landward end of the Ocean Terminal and on one occasion I had a messy but delicious meal of crabs, which were probably the same clear water variety. Regards Andrew
If the Crabs were steamed, most likely they are clear water crabs. Fine Shanghai Dinnging would have a whole tray load of tools of different shape and sizes for dinners to disember the crabs and consume each and every piece of meat within. There is a saying that a good diner could use the tools and then re-assemble the exoskeleton back to the shape of a crab.
As far as I can remember, there were no tools and the crabs were served in a very tasty but messy ‘stew’. In England I can sometimes buy freshly boiled brown crabs. They are larger than the clear water crabs in Hong Kong and are from the cold waters of the North Sea. The cold meat is delicious when eaten with brown bread. Andrew
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Re: packing crabs
Hi There,
Likely the clear water crabs are being packed on the spot instead. The process involved picint a llive crab from a bigger basket, tie it up, and put them into smaller baskets or boxes. There is a Cantonese proverb 倒瀉籮蟹, literrally describing the muck after the bigger basket containing these un-tied crabs are turned sideways........ and imagine the escaping crabs in all directions with the workers chasing after them...... The issue is crabs has clamps and would fight back when threathened........
T
Hi T,
Hi T,
In August 1981, after 22 years of telling her that she must see Hong Kong, I'd saved up enough money for a two week holiday and we stayed at the Hong Kong Hotel In Tsim Sha Tsui. We had some great meals in the Spice Market restaurant at the landward end of the Ocean Terminal and on one occasion I had a messy but delicious meal of crabs, which were probably the same clear water variety. Regards Andrew
Re: Crab main course
Hi Andrew,
If the Crabs were steamed, most likely they are clear water crabs. Fine Shanghai Dinnging would have a whole tray load of tools of different shape and sizes for dinners to disember the crabs and consume each and every piece of meat within. There is a saying that a good diner could use the tools and then re-assemble the exoskeleton back to the shape of a crab.
T
Hi T,
Hi T,
As far as I can remember, there were no tools and the crabs were served in a very tasty but messy ‘stew’. In England I can sometimes buy freshly boiled brown crabs. They are larger than the clear water crabs in Hong Kong and are from the cold waters of the North Sea. The cold meat is delicious when eaten with brown bread. Andrew