Hairy Crab with Rice Cake

Shanghai's hairy crab season runs from mid-September to late November, when Yangcheng Lake crabs (and those from Taihu Lake) are at their peak roe and tomalley content. Eating plain steamed hairy crab with ginger vinegar is the purist approach, but the combination with nian gao — thick, chewy rice-cake slices — has become a Shanghai autumnal restaurant staple. The crab is cleaned, chopped and stir-fried at high heat with ginger, spring onion and Shaoxing wine; rice cake slices are added and tossed until they absorb the cooking juices and become silky and flavourful. The result melds the oceanic richness of the crab with the yielding texture of rice cake. This dish is seasonal and typically available only October–November in Shanghai restaurants.