Mud crabs are also known as "pipa crabs" and sometimes as "crawler crabs," and there are approximately dozens of different types. The names vary depending on the region. These pipa crabs are known for their strong flavor, but as aIngredientit's truly delicious.There are always some specialties featuring pipa crabs in various restaurants, big and small, and there are many ways to cook them.

How to select pipa crabs

When buying crabs, you should choose ones with intact bodies, dense shells, clear and distinct outer shells, firm muscles, and a clean and dry surface.Those with loose meat, reddish color, and a fishy smell are not fresh and should not be eaten.Generally, those with a tightly connected head and body are fresher.Smaller ones with a white "king" character in their belly are female, and the meat will turn yellow when cooked.Those slightly larger with no "king" character on their belly are male, and the meat is not yellow, but thicker.

Chili-peppered pipa crabs

Ingredients

Pipa crabs,green peppers，red peppers，fermented bean curd (doubanjiang)garlic,light soy sauce ( )scallions,white peppercornstarch, water, light soy sauce, sugar, salt, oyster sauce, sesame oil.

Steps

1. Chop the green and red peppers, chop scallions, and mince the garlic;

2. Crumble the fermented bean curd (doubanjiang), add minced garlic and mix well;

3. Heat oil in a pan, add scallions, fermented bean curd (doubanjiang), and minced garlic to sauté, then add chopped green and red peppers and stir-fry;

4. Add the pipa crabs and stir-fry, then add oyster sauce, light soy sauce, salt, sugar, and water starch to thicken, drizzle with sesame oil, and sprinkle with white pepper.

Spicy pipa crabs

Ingredients

10 pipa crabs, scallions,gingerslices, minced garlic,cilantro，fermented bean curd (doubanjiang)sauce,ricevinegar，white sugarlight soy sauce,chicken brothfragrant oil, water.

Steps

1. Wash and prepare the pipa crabs, soak in salt water for 10 minutes;

2. Mix rice vinegar, white sugar, light soy sauce, chicken broth, and water;

3,Medium potpour in a little oil, add fermented bean curd (doubanjiang) to sauté, add scallions, ginger, and minced garlic;

4. After seasoning, add the pipa crabs and stir-fry until they turn color, then add the seasoning sauce and cook for 3 minutes;

5. Before serving, drizzle with fragrant oil and sprinkle with cilantro.

Steamedpipa crabsIngredients

pipa crabs, garlic, ginger, sugar, vinegar,

light soy sauceSoy sauceSteps

1. Wash and prepare the pipa crabs;

2. Boil water in a pot, add the pipa crabs and steam for 5 to 7 minutes until they turn red;

3. Chop ginger and garlic into minced pieces, add to a bowl with vinegar, light soy sauce, and sugar and mix into a dipping sauce.

3, Finely chop ginger and garlic, add to a bowl with vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar, and mix to create a dipping sauce.

Black beer pipa crabs

Ingredients

500g pipa crabs, a bottle of black beer, one piece of ginger, 3 cloves of garlic,white peppera little, salt to taste, light soy sauce to taste, sugar to taste.

Steps

1. Wash and prepare the pipa crabs, then drain after washing;

2. Slice the ginger and garlic;

3. Heat oil in a pot, add ginger, garlic, and white pepper to sauté, then add the pipa crabs and stir-fry evenly;

4. Pour in black beer to cover the pipa crabs, then add salt, light soy sauce, sugar, and cook over high heat for about 5 minutes.

Tips

After cooking, pipa crabs can be cooked for another minute.