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Roe & Behold! COME autumn and the whole of Shanghai revels in the hairy crab season. No dinner party is complete without steamed roe-filled crabs, and sips of aromatic Chinese wine. High in protein, the best crabs are said to be farmed in Yang Chen Lake in Suzhou City. Here in Singapore, you can also join in the repast as the prized crustaceans are served at many Chinese restaurants during this period. Peach Blossoms at Marina Mandarin hotel is one offering steamed live hairy crab served with a strong ginger tea. Though the crab roe is sometimes cooked in soups or stir-fried with other ingredients, the traditional way of steaming the whole crab remains the most preferred cooking method. Commented the restaurant's chef, Aw Yeong Kin: "Steaming preserves the sweet taste of the crab roe. Cooking the crab with heavy sauces tends to drown its natural flavours." In recent years, chefs have experimented with news ways of cooking hairy crabs. Crab roe xiao long bao - juicy Shanghai dumpling filled with crab roe - is one popular example. But give me the steamed crustacean any time. Steamed briefly with ginger and herbs, the tiny crabs emerge from the steamer a brilliant orange-red. Crack open the top shell and - at this point, oohs and aahs will be heard around the table - to reveal just-cooked roe below. Invitingly unctuous and fringed with sweet crab juices, it is heaven in a spoon. After you've finished with the roe, it is time to tackle the rest of the crab.
Enjoy the crabmeat dipped with a piquant minced ginger and vinegar sauce. The Chinese believe that hairy crab is a "cooling" food. Thus, chef Aw Yeong serves spicy-sweet ginger tea at the end of the crab feast to help the body dispel excess coolness and rebalance the yin and yang. The steamed hairy crabs are served as part of two special set menus, available from now until Nov 23. Choose either the $80+++ per person menu or the $100+++ per person menu. The first consists of braised shark's fin with dried seafood, wok-fried scallop and asparagus with special sauce, braised ee-fu noodles with shredded chicken and Japanese mushroom, and chilled cream of taro with sago. The latter has braised shark's fin with crab meat and superior stock on the side, fried sea perch topped with caviar mayonnaise, noodle stewed with shredded pork, chicken and mushroom, and hot almond cream with hashma. Peach Blossoms is at level 5 of Marina Mandarin Singapore, 6 Raffles Boulevard. Tel: 6338-3388. OPENING HOURS: Lunch: Noon to 3pm (Mon-Sat; 11am to 3pm on Sun and PH); Dinner: 6.30pm to 11pm (daily). UOB Dining Privileges* * Terms and conditions apply. |
Fortunately,
you won't have to wrestle with the crab as the serving staff are
instructed to cut up the crab and have the lungs and other inedible
anatomy removed before bringing it to you. You will also be given
a long, pointed stick to pull out the meat from the shell.