Ca Mau square bib crab: A specialty that makes gourmets ignore crab roe

For seafood lovers, Ca Mau square bib crab is special not only because it is expensive, but also because of its rich sweet flavor, firm meat and salty aroma, making the 'queen' of crabs give up the throne.

Among the myriad of delicious dishes of Vietnamese cuisine , the land of Ca Mau Cape has kept for itself a “treasure” – square bib crab. This type of crab does not need bright red roe but still makes diners fall in love.

Crab roe must give way

While the red-fleshed crab has a layer of fatty, rich roe that attracts newcomers to the culinary world , the square-fleshed crab is the "true love" of crab connoisseurs. The square-fleshed crab is a female crab in its juvenile stage, meaning it has not yet carried eggs (roe), at this time the crab's apron is square-shaped, so people often call it the square-fleshed crab. The apron is square, hard and tight to the body, which is a sign that the crab is at its most vigorous. The meat in the legs, claws, and body is firm, full, not hollow or crumbly like old crabs. When steamed, the yellow roe is sticky, fragrant and fatty but not greasy, mixed with the natural sweet and salty taste of the crab meat, making the eater feel enchanted.

Square bib crab is a female crab in the juvenile stage, not yet carrying eggs.

PHOTO: GB

The deliciousness of square bib crab lies in the balance: the meat is not dry, the roe is not too fatty, the aroma is strong but still fresh. People in coastal areas say, eating square bib crab is "eating the flavor of the mangrove forest" because they live in an environment of saltwater mixed with alluvium... creating a sweet, chewy, and crunchy taste that is unique to other regions.

When steamed, the golden brick layer is sticky, fragrant and fatty but not greasy.

PHOTO: GB

In Ca Mau , the most famous crab region in the country, fishermen have a saying: "When eating crab, you have to look at the apron." The crab's apron is square, hard, with a smooth surface; firm and shiny. Just pick up a square apron crab and you'll know for sure that it's full of meat inside.

Mr. Nguyen Van Bay, who has raised crabs for more than 10 years in Ngoc Hien commune, said: "Square bib crabs are sweeter and firmer than roe crabs. Roe crabs, which are considered the "queen" of crabs, have also had to give up their throne." Mr. Bay said that in the past, the price of square bib crabs was equal to that of meat crabs. But now many people know how to eat them, so the price is as high as roe crabs. Many familiar traders, when coming to buy, separate the first-grade square bib crabs to send to big restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City.

Delicious crab does not need roe

Not only breeders, professional chefs also consider square bib crabs as "irreplaceable ingredients". With dishes such as grilled, steamed with beer, stir-fried with tamarind... square bib crabs retain their natural sweetness, not overwhelmed by spices.

"The fat part of crab roe is delicious, but when grilled or stir-fried, the roe easily melts, making the sauce too rich, covering the crab flavor. Square-bib crab is different, the meat is firm and sweet, whether stir-fried with tamarind, steamed with lemongrass, or stir-fried with salt, it still smells delicious," shared chef Le Trong Tin, owner of a seafood restaurant in Ca Mau.

Square bib crab - Ca Mau specialty is more popular with gourmets than crab with roe

PHOTO: GB

Many seafood restaurants in Ca Mau always post two price lists for crabs with roe and square crabs. The price of crabs with roe usually ranges from 550,000 to 800,000 VND/kg, while the special type of square crab with full meat can cost up to a million VND/kg, especially near Tet.

"Regular customers make reservations, some even tell us: 'Don't leave the crab roe, just leave the square bib. It can be used to make any dish'," said Ms. Tran Ngoc Linh, a restaurant owner in Tan Thanh Ward, Ca Mau.

According to experienced fishermen, what makes the square bib crab different is not only its "gender" but also its special way of growing. This is a female crab in its juvenile stage, not yet carrying eggs, so the bib is square, the body is firm and full of energy. At this stage, the crab stores nutrients in each fiber of meat instead of concentrating them in the ovaries like when it has roe. Therefore, the square bib crab meat is thick, firm, chewy and naturally sweet without the need for the fatty taste of roe as a base, but still makes the eater clearly feel the "original deliciousness" of the crab.

Culinary symbol of the Cape region

Mr. Do Van Tong (living in Nguyen Phich commune, Ca Mau) has nearly 20 years of experience raising crabs and jokingly said: "Eating crab with roe is eating with the eyes, while eating square bib crab is eating with the mouth. Serving crab with roe sounds fancy, but in reality, square bib crab is much "better quality".

Between soft-shell crab, roe crab, meat crab... square-bib crab still holds its own place.

PHOTO: GB

Many tourists from the Central and Northern regions to Ca Mau were surprised when they were introduced to grilled square crab. At first, they thought it was bland because of the lack of roe, but after just one taste, the sweetness and aroma of the meat made many people "turn around". Mr. Manh from Bac Ninh admitted: "I thought delicious crab must be crab with roe, but after eating square crab, I realized that I had never really understood crab dishes before." The love for square crab is not just a matter of taste. It reflects the way coastal people perceive deliciousness, not something elaborate or fatty, but the pure, honest taste of the ocean.

Nowadays, when local cuisine is upgraded to a tourist experience, many restaurants in Ca Mau have included square bib crab in their Ca Mau specialty menu. Dishes such as steamed square bib crab, salt-fried crab, tamarind-fried crab, grilled crab... have become the "must-have" choice of diners.

Placed next to green rice crab, roe crab... square bib crab still holds its own place, it is a product that does not need red roe but still makes diners remember it forever. Each piece of meat is firm, sweet, and has a strong sea flavor, truly the "peak" of Ca Mau flavor.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cua-yem-vuong-ca-mau-dac-san-khien-dan-sanh-an-lo-luon-cua-gach-185251026003600155.htm