Ca Mau Province, the land at the end of the country, has long been famous for many specialties bearing the mark of rivers and Southern culture. Among them, salted crab is not only a familiar rustic dish but also a source of cultural pride, honored as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.
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| The three-sided crab in Ca Mau. (Photo: TGCC) |
The profession of salting crabs has been closely associated with the life of the Ca Mau community for generations. It is not only a traditional profession but also a special asset in the process of expanding the territory to the South of our ancestors.
With abundant natural resources, Ca Mau has created favorable conditions for the crab salt industry to develop strongly, becoming a local characteristic.
The crab salting profession clearly reflects the conquest of nature and the creation of life of many generations of Ca Mau people.
Materially, this is an important livelihood, contributing to job creation and income for people in coastal areas.
Spiritually, it is a unique culinary art, closely associated with the rich cultural life of the people of the South, present in songs, folk music, and even in literature about the river region.
For a long time, salted crabs have been a rustic, familiar dish to the people of Ca Mau. In the past, when going to the forest or the fields, people often brought along a few salted crabs or mixed crabs to eat with rice, which was both convenient and full of the flavor of home.
According to local people, in the past, when the crab season was around the 7th - 9th lunar month, people had to transport the crabs by boat. Because there were too many crabs to sell, they came up with the idea of salting the crabs to preserve them for longer, thus forming a unique profession.
Over time, salted crab dish not only serves the needs of life but also becomes a famous specialty of Ca Mau land.
Technically, the profession of salting crabs is also folk knowledge in cuisine, from how to clean ingredients, salting formula to experience in preparing dishes.
The talent of the crab salter is shown in the experience in mixing the saltiness of the brine. If it is too bland, the crab will spoil; if it is too salty, the crab will lose its legs, its skin will turn black, and its meat will be tough; if the brine mixes with rainwater, the crab will smell bad…
Currently, the crab salting industry is strongly developing in coastal communes of Ca Mau province, typically Phan Ngoc Hien commune, which is famous for the brand "Rach Goc crab".
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| Spices used to prepare three-sided crab. (Source: Culture Newspaper) |
The crabs in Rach Goc are blessed with an ideal living environment: water, alluvium and especially natural food from the forest. Thanks to that, the crabs here have delicious, firm and fragrant meat, creating a clear difference compared to other regions.
From a rustic dish associated with daily labor, salted crab has now become a specialty loved by domestic and foreign diners.
On December 20, 2019, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism signed Decision No. 4612/QD-BVHTTDL on including in the list of national intangible cultural heritages Folk knowledge, traditional handicrafts of the crab salting profession, in Rach Goc town, Ngoc Hien district (now Phan Ngoc Hien commune), Ca Mau province. This event has become a source of motivation for the community to continue to preserve and develop the crab salting profession, bringing the products further to the market, while contributing to the protection of natural resources and preserving unique products in the southernmost part of the country. |
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/muoi-ba-khia-ca-mau-tu-mon-an-dan-da-den-di-san-van-hoa-phi-vat-the-quoc-gia-322686.html
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