Use a brush to remove the dirt
When you're panning, don't forget to take a small brush, dip it in the rice water, and gently brush the shells of the crabs. The starch in the rice water effectively adsorbs sediment and dirt on the crab's surface, and the brush can penetrate deep into the crevices and meticulously remove residue.
Rinse with water to remove residue
After brushing with a small brush, rinse the flower crabs with water to thoroughly rinse away the dirt brushed off. When rinsing, you can use a small spray bottle to spray water into the crevices of the crab to remove the residue more effectively.
Cut off the gills and discard the innards
Lift the crab's abdomen and you'll see two rows of gray gills, which are the crab's breathing organs and are not edible. Carefully cut off the gills with scissors, then pull out the crab's internal organs with your bare hands, including the intestines, stomach and crab yolk.
Brush and rinse the crab legs
After removing the gills and internal organs, don't forget to brush the legs. Use a small brush to scrub along the lines of the crab legs, then rinse them with water to make sure they are clean and free of impurities.
Soak in salt water to sterilize thoroughly
After cleaning flower crabs, don't rush to the pot, but soak them in salt water for a while. Salt water can play the role of sterilization, soaking time according to the size of the crab, generally soak 15-20 minutes can be.
Personal advice, cleaning tips
The Little Chef will share a few more cleaning tips with you:
*Wear gloves when cleaning to avoid being stabbed by the crab's thorns.
*Don't use tap water to rinse the crabs directly, as the chlorine in tap water will kill the crabs.
*When cleaning crabs, it is best not to use detergent because detergent residue will affect the fresh flavor of the crab.
*Cook the cleaned crabs as soon as possible, otherwise the crabs will lose moisture and affect the flavor.
Cleaning crabs may seem like a hassle, but in fact it can be easily done with skill. Use a small brush to scrub meticulously, rinse with water, cut off the gills and internal organs, brush the crab legs, soak in salt water to sterilize, these steps are carefully done, you can enjoy the fresh and delicious flower crabs!