Living in shallow marine waters, tri-spine horseshoe crab has hard shell having 20 cm diameter, 8 small legs under stomach and a long tail. Tri-spine horseshoe crabs mate for life, a male weighing about 1/2 kg always is on the back of female weighing about 1 kg. In Vietnam, tri-spine horseshoe crab symbolizes for fidelity in marriage, people usually say “love as much as tri-spine horseshoe crabs do”. In breeding season of tri-spine horseshoe crab from October to February in the lunar calendar, female carries hundreds of eggs which are as small as pepper.
Living tri-spine horseshoe crabs has a long tail
Male crabs are thrown because it has a very small amount of meat. It needs talent and experienced cook to separate meat from the female tri-spine horseshoe crab. Legs and fins, shell, liver and guts are removed. The cook must be careful so that the meat won’t cause abdominal pain or food allergy. Tri-spine horseshoe crab meat is used to make a wide range of delicious dishes: soup, salad, grilled dishes, stir-fried dishes, cellophane noodle, congee… It is usually cooked with hot and sour spices such as galangal, lemongrass, chili, vinegar, lemon and special herbs such as Vietnamese mint, wild betel leaves. The most favorite dishes from this sea animal are fragrant and brown-yellow Grilled tri-spine horseshoe crab on char-coal and Sweet and sour stir-fried tri-spine horseshoe crabs which is a perfect blend of sweet, sour, hot and salty tastes.
Good-looking Grilled tri-spine horseshoe crabs eggs
A specialty from this kind of animal is Grilled tri-spine horseshoe crabs eggs. The pregnant tri-spine horseshoe crab is grilled on charcoal or dry coconut shells until the eggs become pleasant. This dish is served with sour pomelo flesh and pulp, pickled daikon, herbs, crushed peanuts, fish sauce dip with garlic and chili, green onion oil. To eat, use a sharp knife to cut tri-spine horseshoe crab’s stomach to reveal hundreds of eggs. Then using a spoon to eat greasy, yellow, warm and smelling eggs. They are not only delicious but very good for health.
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