Would tobikko commonly used with sushi provide a similar taste. Male blue crabs have broader bodies and more pronounced spines; on the other hand, female blue crabs have a less broad body and less pronounced spines. The crab meat is believed by TCM practitioners to have a "cooling" effect on the body.. Chinese spend hundreds of yuan just to taste a small crab from Yangcheng Lake, which are considered a delicacy. The crab is an autumn delicacy in Shanghai cuisine and eastern China. It is illegal in many states to possess sponge crabs. BLUE CRAB IDENTIFICATION ... #3 Sook Crabs – The number three Sook crabs are the mature female crabs which means they are able to mate and carry eggs. The male usually has a thin apron, Y-shaped and the female has a triangular apron. The flavor-packed spheres come from the female crab and turn bright orange after cooking. Crab Roe - 1 lb. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Egg-Bearing Female Blue Crab "Sponge Crab" "Pregnant" female blue crabs carry fertilized eggs under their abdomen. Male blue crabs are called “jimmies,” adolescent female blue crabs “sally,” and the adult female blue crabs “sooks,” by the watermen or boatmen. Also, the tomalley (aka “mustard”) is found in all blue crabs. You can quickly identify the sook crabs by the orange color on the tips of the claws. I have had it several times while visiting Charleston, SC but am not familiar with the taste as an individual ingredient. One of the nicest things about buying live crabs instead of lump crab meat is that you get the whole measure of the animal—not only its succulent flesh, but also its creamy innards and the sweet, briny juices that pool in the curve of the shell. $24.87 CROE-0002: Crab Roe - 2 lbs. The traditional version of this dish uses only female crab (hence the name “She-Crab”) and uses crab roe (the orange stuff you see when you eat female blue crabs). Sherry is a key ingredient here along with the Lobster Base (Better than bouillon). It takes about two weeks for the eggs to "ripen" and be released into the water to hatch. However, I use lump crab and Lobster Base rather than female blue crabs and roe. Seeking suggestions for substituting crab roe in She crab soup. As far as any other crabs, they do sell female blue crabs, and also female rock crabs. Other sought-after parts of the blue crab include the roe, which makes an excellent garnish and is revered in Chinese cuisine. My usual procedure is to steam the crab with beer and call it a day. https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/she-crab-soup-51156820 It is prized for the female crab roe, which ripen in the ninth lunar month and the males in the tenth. Just look on the bottom of the crabs, at the apron. $48.78 Check the items you wish to purchase, then click Share your knowledge of this product. From a distance these eggs resemble a sponge, hence the term "sponge" crab. 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