Visiting the Quang Yen region at the Bach Dang River estuary, tourists have the opportunity to savor many rustic dishes. Among them, Quang Ninh 7-course horseshoe crab makes the greatest impression with its creative culinary preparation.
Quang Ninh 7-Dish Horseshoe Crab – A Specialty of the Bach Dang River Estuary
The uniqueness of the horseshoe crab
When it comes to seafood, the horseshoe crab is perhaps among the most unique, not only for its flavor but also for its peculiar appearance. Horseshoe crabs look like iron helmets, with a hard, thick, gray carapace, a flattened round body, eight small legs and claws beneath the abdomen, and a three-edged pointed tail. A female horseshoe crab weighs over one kilogram, while the male weighs only about half as much.
Horseshoe crabs paired together. Photo: Cong an nhan dan.
Horseshoe crabs are distributed along coastal areas, living along sandbanks in high-tide zones. They live in pairs, nesting and staying together for the rest of their lives.
From October to February of the lunar calendar, horseshoe crabs usually mate in pairs, after which the female carries a belly full of eggs awaiting the spawning day. Because horseshoe crabs always go in pairs, finding one means catching both at the same time. The male clings tightly to the female's back without letting go, inspiring the Vietnamese saying “clinging like horseshoe crabs”.
Horseshoe crabs thrive in the waters of Quang Yen.
According to local experience, horseshoe crabs must be eaten as a pair; if one dies, the other will also die, and if one dies while the other survives, it is believed to turn toxic. The net used to catch horseshoe crabs must be woven from monofilament line, with a mesh size of about 8cm and a net height of 1.5m.
Horseshoe crabs are prepared into many dishes.
Horseshoe crabs are crustaceans with “cold” properties, so during preparation, the blood must be carefully bled in a fine stream to preserve the sweetness of the meat. In particular, the intestines must be meticulously removed. Horseshoe crabs can be prepared into various delicious and nutritious dishes: horseshoe crab salad, sweet and sour stir-fried horseshoe crab, horseshoe crab patties, boiled horseshoe crab, and grilled horseshoe crab eggs, which are both rich and aromatic. Grilled horseshoe crab eggs are served with sour pomelo, pickled shredded radish, mint, Vietnamese coriander, roasted peanuts, fried shallots, and garlic-chili-lime fish sauce…
Horseshoe crab egg salad.
The meat along the dorsal ridge and near the tail is delightfully sweet and chewy. Horseshoe crab eggs are rich, fragrant, and protein-packed. If not eaten immediately, the horseshoe crab can be sun-dried for a few sessions and hung above the kitchen hearth; when needed, grilling it still yields great flavor. Alternatively, cutting it into large chunks to cook in sour soup is also wonderful.
Quang Ninh 7-course horseshoe crab
In the past, the demand for horseshoe crab in Quang Yen was not high, and it was merely an ordinary local dish. Later, horseshoe crab was prepared with great intricacy and creativity, gradually finding its way into local restaurants and tourist destinations. Because of this, Quang Ninh 7-course horseshoe crab gradually became a well-known culinary brand.
7-course horseshoe crab. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
Horseshoe crab has a strong fishy odor, requiring meticulous care from preliminary preparation to seasoning and cooking. This challenge demands great dedication from the chef. Horseshoe crab dishes must be eaten fresh off the stove and served piping hot, as cooling down will ruin their taste.
Photo: kenh14.
The people of Quang Yen have creatively turned horseshoe crab into a specialty offering 7 to 8 dishes, such as: horseshoe crab blood pudding, horseshoe crab soup, horseshoe crab stir-fried with bamboo shoots, sweet and sour stir-fried horseshoe crab legs, deep-fried horseshoe crab legs, horseshoe crab patties, pressed horseshoe crab egg cakes, and glass noodles with horseshoe crab. Each dish carries its own unique flavor, with horseshoe crab blood pudding being particularly distinctive.
Glass noodles with horseshoe crab. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
For the sweet and sour stir-fried horseshoe crab legs, the legs are chopped into bite-sized pieces and soaked in hot water. They are then marinated with chili, lemongrass, and galangal for 10 minutes. Next, they are stir-fried with garlic and simmered over low heat in a thick sauce that balances sour, spicy, salty, and sweet notes from fish sauce, tamarind juice, chili…
Horseshoe crab meat salad is also highly favored by diners. The meat is extracted, steamed, shredded, and mixed with thinly sliced cucumber, carrot, lotus roots, peanuts, chili, and herbs… Toss all ingredients thoroughly with sweet and sour chili fish sauce, and wait 10-15 minutes before serving.
Sweet and sour stir-fried horseshoe crab legs. Photo: yan.vn.
Quang Ninh 7-course horseshoe crab has become a well-known culinary brand for travelers visiting this region. The delicious, novel, and unique taste of horseshoe crab makes it impossible to resist these delectable dishes. Follow the iVIVU blog to discover more helpful articles!
