Little  red clawed crabs are here again!

When it comes to food in autumn, you may want to try  red clawed crabs (Sesarma bidens), in addition to hairy crabs. Little red clawed crabs can be found all over Guangdong province, but Panyu District is one of the best producers of the crabs in terms of quality. The two-finger-sized crabs are miniature versions of crabs, but they also have a rich, sweet flavor.

Residents in Panyu District like to use red clawed crab paste as an ingredient in dishes such as steamed pork belly and steamed tofu, and dishes such as braised tofu with red clawed crab paste and steamed egg with red clawed crab paste feature a very special favor of native fishermen's dishes. In addition, red clawed crabs can also be transformed into tender sauces. The traditional craft of pickling red clawed crab in Longwan Village of Yangjiang has a history of more than 200 years, and the pickled red clawed crab sauce has a strong flavor. Together with the salty shrimp sauce in Dongping, it is known by the locals as the two specialty dishes of Yangjiang. #LingnanCuisine

十八涌上蟛蜞香（陈秋明 摄）

入秋后的蟛蜞最肥美（陈秋明 摄）

蟛蜞膏烩豆腐（王敏 摄）

秋日进食，除了大闸蟹，不妨也尝尝蟛蜞这种河鲜。要说到蟛蜞，广东各处可见，但论到质量，就以番禺出产的为上佳。两个指头般大小的蟛蜞，可以说是迷你版的螃蟹，同样也有一股浓郁的鲜甜味道。

番禺人喜以蟛蜞膏为配料，用作蒸火腩、蒸豆腐等菜式之用，“蟛蜞膏烩豆腐”“蟛蜞膏蒸水蛋”等菜式就极具当地渔家风味。除此之外，蟛蜞还能做成柔滑的酱料。阳江龙湾村腌制蟛蜞的传统工艺已有200多年历史，腌制好的蟛蜞酱，味道浓郁，与东平咸虾酱一道被本地人称为阳江的“虾兵蟹将（酱）”。

文 | 羊城晚报全媒体记者 王敏 马思泳