Daojiao Fiddler Crab Sauce

Daojiao Fiddler Crab Sauce

　　Fiddler crab sauce, commonly known as “salty fiddler crab paste” among locals in Daojiao, is rich in minerals such as calcium and iron, as well as natural vitamins, and has the benefits of enriching blood and nourishing skin. Steaming pork with salty fiddler crab paste makes for an excellent side dish. It is also considered nourishing for women who have just given birth. Adding a small amount to stir-fried green beans enhances their color, aroma, and flavor, making them truly unique. Fiddler crabs live along riverbanks and field ridges and are technically a type of crab. They are caught year-round and often cooked into porridge or used to stew golden needle mushrooms, which is believed to help treat jaundice-type hepatitis. The best time for fiddler crabs is during the first lunar month, as the saying goes, “January fiddler crabs, February crabs.” Farmers catch the fiddler crabs, remove their shells, spines, and legs, then wash them clean with water. They grind them into a paste using a stone mill, add an appropriate amount of salt, and store the mixture in earthenware jars sealed with lids. These jars are then placed on rooftops or terraces to dry in the sun for over ten days. Later, roasted rice is added, and the mixture continues to dry in the sun until the rice softens—resulting in a premium-quality product. In the old days, people returning from overseas journeys to Nanyang (Southeast Asia) often brought back some fiddler crab sauce to help relatives and friends suffering from “unease due to change in climate.”