First of all, swimming crabs and hairy crabs are two different crab species. They are different in origin, appearance, taste and cooking methods.

1. Origin and living environment: Portunus crab is mainly distributed in coastal areas, such as the East China Sea, South China Sea, etc. It is a kind of sea crab. Hairy crabs mainly live in freshwater environments, such as inland waters such as the Yangtze River and Taihu Lake. They are a type of river crab. The living environments of these two crabs are different, which also affects their taste and flavor.

2. Appearance characteristics: The swimming crab’s shell is blue-gray and relatively smooth, with slender legs and relatively small claws. The shell of the hairy crab is dark brown with uneven lines on the surface. The crab legs are short and thick, and the crab claws are large and powerful. These appearance characteristics can be used as a basis for distinguishing the two types of crabs.

3. Taste and flavor Due to differences in living environments, the taste and flavor of swimming crabs and hairy crabs are also different. The meat of swimming crab is relatively tender and delicious, with a salty taste like sea water. The meat of hairy crabs is more delicious, with a unique sweet taste. This is because they live in a freshwater environment and consume different types of food than swimming crabs.

4. Cooking methods and eating culture Both swimming crabs and hairy crabs play an important role in Chinese food culture, but their cooking methods and eating cultures are also different. Swimming crab is usually used to make steamed, fried and other dishes. Its delicious meat and salty taste are deeply loved by people. Hairy crabs are more commonly used to make crab meal, crab roe and other delicacies, and are highly praised for their delicious taste and rich nutritional value.

To sum up, although swimming crabs and hairy crabs are both crabs, they have their own uniqueness in Chinese food culture due to their differences in origin, living environment, appearance characteristics, taste and flavor, cooking methods and food culture. status and awareness.