Crab Mentality

For seafood lovers, crabs are simply incomparable in terms of texture and sweetness. Beloved the world over, they can be boiled, steamed, or fried. Either cooked in sauce, dipped in butter, or simply enjoyed fresh after a quick steam, they are simply delicious with the inherently sweet and salty flavors of the sea.

How do you pick a winner?

• The best and most economical time to buy crabs is between June to September, when
  demand is low. Prices are at their peak during the holidays and in the summer when tourists flock to the coastal areas.
• Know your priorities—male crabs have larger claws, while female crabs have the prized roe. What is commonly known as “bakla” (gay) crabs are actually juvenile female crabs and are known to have the sweetest and juiciest meat. Whatever you pick, make sure they are alive prior to cooking.

Crabs are found everywhere in the world, but these are the ones indigenous to our local waters.

Blue Swimming Crab

• Known locally as “alimasag,” they are widely found all over the archipelago, mostly in the Visayan Seas and Guimaras Strait where half of the picking stations of the Philippines are situated.
• The blue swimming crab is the most common probably because it is arguably the tastiest. They have two paddle-like legs that help them swim, hence the name. And the blue hue of its shell changes to orange once cooked.

Mud or Mangrove Crab

• Called “alimango” by the locals, they inhabit the muddy and sandy bottom of brackish water and sandy areas. These crabs have incredibly thick shells and huge, powerful claws. The top producers of mud crabs are Northern Mindanao, Central Luzon, Western Visayas, and the Bicol Region.
• Its color ranges from reddish-brown to muddy-green or almost black, helping it camouflage against the mud. King crabs and Cruzan crabs are types of mud crabs.
  River Crab
• Also called Asian Shore Crab, it is more commonly known locally as “talangka”. Small enough to fit in a child’s palm, they are mostly found in mangroves, freshwater environments, shallow sub-tidal regions, coastal waters or riverbanks.
• Although they are distant cousins of the mud crab, river crabs do not develop that thick outer shell. These are often consumed entirely, fried until crispy, as a tasty bar chow. The roe is prized for its richness and is usually sold in bottles, consumed as a condiment or mixed into sauces.

Coconut Crab

• It is the world’s largest terrestrial arthropod and eats mostly, yes, coconuts. Found in the isolated island of Batanes in the northernmost tip of the Philippines, the coconut crab has become highly endangered when flights to Batanes made it more accessible to tourists before the pandemic.
• Since they are a slow-growing species, coconut crabs need to be protected in a sanctuary where they can reproduce without disruption. Soft-shell Crab
• These are just blue crabs or mud crabs that are caught or harvested before developing their hard shell, or molting. Simply said, these are very young crabs that have outgrown their exoskeleton and have developed a new outer shell that has yet to harden.
• The soft shell becomes crispy when cooked and so these crabs are usually battered, fried, and served with a dipping sauce.