Raw Rehmannia and Fresh Crab Soup

Raw Rehmannia and Fresh Crab Soup

　　When hosting esteemed guests, the people of Shanwei always serve “Raw Rehmannia and Fresh Crab Soup” as the first dish. A white ceramic basin holds a bowl of blood-black soup, with several bright red crab legs poking out from the top—quite distinctive. After ladling out some soup, a few slices of raw rehmannia can be seen at the bottom of the bowl. Take a sip, and you’ll taste bitterness that turns to sweetness, and saltiness that leads to fragrance. The local way to eat it is to bite off the joint of the large claw with your teeth, then suck the meat and broth from the shell together—the meat is deliciously savory.