Hairy crabs are a beloved specialty in China, where they’re consumed by the dozens every autumn, when they’re in season.

But in the United States, they’re considered a pest, and when you find one in the water, you’re not supposed to leave it alive.

How did a crustacean considered a delicacy in one country become a pariah in another? And how do you eat one anyway? We went to Yangcheng Lake, the center of hairy crab production in China, to find out.

This is the second episode of our series “In Season,” where we explore ingredients that are hard to find everywhere but in China. Check out our last episode on Sichuan peppercorns and wild tea here:

Why It’s So Hard to Find Sichuan Peppercorns in America
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_zrOpC8IGo

How to Make Green and Black Tea From Scratch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4suI4UWSvg


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Host: Clarissa Wei
Videographer and Producer: Beimeng Fu and Clarissa Wei
Animation: Ray Ngan
Editor and Mastering: Joel Roche

#china #chinesefood #hairycrab