By the time you’re reading this, the Chinese mitten crabs native to the freshwater rivers and lakes of Eastern China will already be teeming with sweet, buttery roe and milt — an annual bounty that’s led to their prized status across the country and the rest of Asia.
These fist-sized crustaceans are better known as hairy crabs for their hirsute claws, and there is no place more famous to find them than in the crystal-clear waters of Jiangsu province’s Yangcheng Lake.
The shelled denizens of this haven for hairy crabs are treated like venerated saints, their lofty provenance verified with a seal of authenticity upon harvest and sale. The triangular-bellied males typically come into maturity slightly later in October and November, compared to their round-shaped female counterparts, though both are equally delicious when savoured the traditional way — steamed and paired with black vinegar.
However, that is not the only way to enjoy hairy crab. These chefs at MICHELIN establishments in Singapore have demonstrated their creativity and culinary chops by turning an age-old autumnal delicacy into a feast for the senses — read on to see how they did it.
Summer Pavilion's dish of Steamed Vermicelli, King Scallop, Hairy Crab Roe, Caviar, and Egg White
Summer Pavilion
One MICHELIN StarMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2024
From now until 17 November 2024, MICHELIN-Starred Cantonese restaurant Summer Pavilion sets their hairy crab menu apart from the consortium, with a trio of steamed dishes, all featuring the prized crustacean.
There’s the straightforward Steamed Whole Hairy Crab ($128++ each) for the purists, along with bites redolent in golden roe with the Steamed Hairy Crab Dumpling with Chicken and Hairy Crab Roe ($16++ per piece). Then again, why not go all the way and enjoy the ultra-luxe Steamed Vermicelli with King Scallop, Hairy Crab Roe, Caviar, and Egg White ($68++ per person), where the golden bounty of the autumnal delicacy gets further embellishment with other treasures from the ocean — an indulgent dish that’s sure to delight and satisfy in equal measure.
Summer Pavilion’s hairy crab menu is available from now till 17 November 2024. For reservations, book your seat via our restaurant page here. Summer Pavilion is located at The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore, Level 3, 7 Raffles Avenue, 039799, Singapore.
Crystal Jade Golden Palace's Hairy Crab with Chaoshan Style Raw Marinated Blood Cockle with Garlic Chilli
Crystal Jade Golden Palace
SelectedMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2024
The chefs at MICHELIN Selected Cantonese restaurant Crystal Jade Golden Palace have placed hairy crabs, carefully selected and imported from the famed Yangcheng Lake, at the centre of their autumnal offerings.
The succulent flesh of the Chinese mitten crab is painstakingly extracted from its diminutive shell and placed centre stage in the Pan-Fried Hairy Crab & Pork Teochew Dumplings (S$28 for six pieces). Other new turns introduced just for the season include the Chaoshan Style Raw Marinated Blood Cockle with Garlic Chilli and a sweet dessert in the form of a Chilled & Crisp-Fried Ginger Milk Custard.
However, those who enjoy the process of extracting the crab’s delicate flesh might prefer to have them whole, either steamed and balanced against the vibrant citrus notes of shiso leaf, or steeped in premium Chinese wine (seasonal pricing for both).
Crystal Jade Golden Palace’s hairy crab menu is available from now till 15 December 2024. For reservations, book online here. Crystal Jade Golden Palace is located at The Paragon, #05-22, 290 Orchard Road, 238859, Singapore.
Min Jiang at Dempsey's Hairy Crab
Min Jiang at Dempsey
SelectedMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2024
Hairy crab season returns in full force at the bucolic hideout that is MICHELIN Selected Cantonese-Sichuan restaurant Min Jiang at Dempsey, with both new à la carte items centred around Chinese mitten crabs, as well as returning signatures draped across indulgent set menus.
The new kids on the block for à la carte dine-in specials are the Braised Meat Ball stuffed with Crab Meat with Vegetables (S$26++ per person) and the Stir-Fried Crab Meat and Egg White with Whole Abalone (S$35++ per person), available during lunch and dinner until 17 November 2024.
Those who wish to indulge in a full feast would be well-served to opt for the “Hairy Crab Bliss” Set Menu (S$168++ per person) or the “Hairy Crab Supreme” Set Menu (S$188++ per person) instead. In either option, diners will be treated to the classic Steamed Hairy Crab with Ginger Rice Wine, along with a supporting act of indulgent dishes like Braised Fish Maw Soup with Crabmeat and Dried Scallops or Pan-fried U.S. Kurobuta Pork with Melted Onion.
Min Jiang at Dempsey’s hairy crab menu is available from now till 17 November 2024. For reservations, book online here, call +65 6774 0122, or email mjdempsey@goodwoodparkhotel.com. Min Jiang at Dempsey is located at 7A & 7B Dempsey Road, 249684, Singapore.
Shang Palace's Hairy Crab Offerings
Shang Palace
SelectedMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2024
For a celebration of hairy crab that’s equal parts innovative and traditional, look no further than MICHELIN Selected Shang Palace. Chinese mitten crabs from the Lake Taihu (also in the Jiangsu province) feature for the Cantonese restaurant’s hairy crab menu, which include the classic Steamed Hairy Crab (from S$118++ per piece) complemented by a fortifying cup of ginger tea.
Novel creations are also available with the Braised Winter Melon Imperial Bird’s Nest Ball with Hairy Crab (S$88++ per person), a bijou bite boasting bird’s nest wrapped in a slice of winter melon before being draped in a luxuriant hairy crab roe sauce; as well as the Sautéed Egg White with Conpoy topped with Hairy Crab Roe (S$48++), an uplifted spin on the traditional vegetable dish with an indulgent lick of yellow gold.
Diners who prefer an all-in crab experience can opt for the six-course hairy crab set menu (S$268++ per person), which includes dishes like the Sautéed Egg White with Hairy Crab Roe served in Crispy Spring Roll Skin; Braised Bird’s Nest Broth with Hairy Crab Roe and Bean Curd; and Sautéed Lobster Meat with Hairy Crab Roe served in a Golden Basket. As a bonus, diners who partake in the set menu will receive a bottle of 8-year Chinese yellow wine — the warming yang to balance the yin of hairy crabs, believed to be “cooling” in Chinese traditions.
Shang Palace’s hairy crab menu is available from now till 30 November 2024. For reservations, book your table via our restaurant page here. Shang Palace is located at the Shangri-La Hotel Singapore, Lobby Level, 22 Orange Grove Road, 258350, Singapore.
The Steamed Whole Hairy Crab at Yan Ting
Yan Ting
SelectedMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2024
The buttery roe and sweet, supple flesh of Chinese mitten crab scuttles its way into the kitchen of MICHELIN Selected Yan Ting, available now until 30 November 2024. There’s a heartwarming autumnal stew in the form of Braised Premium Fish Maw with Fresh Crabmeat and Crab Roe (S$128++ per person), as well as a six-course menu formed around the cornerstone of the prized hairy crab (S$288++), with such crustacean-centred indulgences as Steamed Shanghai-Style Pork Dumpling with Hairy Crab Meat and Roe, and, of course, the traditional Steamed Hairy Crab. The lattermost, served alongside a splash of house-made vinegar, is also available à la carte at S$148++ apiece.
Yan Ting’s hairy crab menu is available from now till 30 November 2024. For reservations, book a table via our restaurant page here. Yan Ting is located at The St. Regis Hotel, Level 1U, 29 Tanglin Road, 247911, Singapore.
Baked Hairy Crab with Lemongrass served with Osmanthus & Wolfberry Ginger Tea from Yì By Jereme Leung
Yì By Jereme Leung
SelectedMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2024
It’s raining crustaceans at MICHELIN Selected contemporary Chinese restaurant Yì By Jereme Leung, with the gloriously indulgent Spicy Whole Lobster Meat with Hairy Crab Roe & Egg Custard — a fittingly luxurious centrepiece to kick off a series of appetisers, mains, dim sum, and noodle dishes themed around the prized hairy crab, available until 24 November 2024.
There’s a spin on the proud pairing of steamed Chinese mitten crabs and warming tea in the Baked Hairy Crab with Lemongrass served with Osmanthus & Wolfberry Ginger Tea, along with other crab-centric bites in the form of Avocado & Crab Meat Tartare Served in Crispy Shell, and a substantial Yangcheng Crispy Rice Noodles with Stuffed Tofu Skin & Hairy Crab Roe. Dim sum enthusiasts should also claw out some time to enjoy the lunch-exclusive Crispy Pancake with Hairy Crab Roe & Shredded Radish.
Yì By Jereme Leung's hairy crab menu is available from now till 24 November 2024. For reservations, book online via our restaurant page here. Yì By Jereme Leung is located at the Raffles Arcade, #03-02, 328 North Bridge Road, 188719, Singapore.
