Red paste crabs are actually pike crabs, and only the fattest and thickest red paste pike female crabs are called red paste crabs.

The paste crabs can be boiled, stir-fried or steamed, and of course the most famous way to make red paste crabs is choking red paste crabs by Ningbo people.

So the red paste crab is not the pike crab soaking, but the part of the pike crab is called red paste crab, soaking and choking is a common cooking method.