Freshwater hairy crabs are praised for exceptionally succulent meat and delicious roe. Traditionally, they are harvested in Lake Tai or Lake Taihu in the Yangtze Delta, one of the largest freshwater lakes in China. This signature Chinese delicacy is also very popular in Singapore. Although traditional steam cooking allows preserving the unique flavors of the meat, there is a number of alternative ways of cooking this delicacy. In Singapore, hairy crabs are boiled at first, then fried and served with some spicy sauces to add piquancy to the dish, as hairy crabs' meat is noted as being "cooling" for the body.
It tastes perfect with tomatoes, chilli sauce or black pepper sauce. It is also good with ginger tea. To try something more unusual you may order salted egg crabs and crab bee hoon. A range of best Singapore's restaurants offers the dainty during hairy crabs season that is between September and November. Since it's a traditional Chinese food, it's best to try it in a place like an authentic Cantonese restaurant Cherry Garden by Marina Bay, Cantonese restaurant Yan at the National Gallery or Min Jiang at Goodwood Park Hotel.
