Pre packed crabs Wan Chai | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Pre packed crabs Wan Chai

Pre packed crabs Wan Chai
Submitted by Andrew Suddaby
Authors: 
Andrew Suddaby
Date picture taken (may be approximate): 
Sunday, November 1, 1987
Gallery: 
1987 Andrew Suddaby's photos
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Submitted by tngan on Thu, 2019-02-28 11:34.

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

Submitted by Andrew Suddaby on Thu, 2019-02-28 15:16.

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

Submitted by tngan on Thu, 2019-02-28 16:01.

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

Submitted by Andrew Suddaby on Thu, 2019-02-28 16:21.

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