Poor man's food
Ba Khia is found in most of the coastal provinces of the South, from Tra Vinh down to Ca Mau through Rach Gia, Ha Tien and places with mangrove forests. The quality of ba Khia meat varies from region to region, people believe that it is due to different food. The most famous is Rach Goc ba Khia, because although the ba Khia here is small, thanks to eating black mangrove fruit (only found in Rach Goc) that falls down, the meat is firmer, the roe is red, so it is more delicious than other places.
To have firm, red-fleshed crabs, people catch them from June to October of the lunar calendar. During this time, it often rains and the mangrove fruits begin to fall, so they have an abundant source of food. In July of the lunar calendar, there is a festival for crabs, during which they "go on a pilgrimage" to find mates, mate and reproduce.
In the past, there were a lot of three-sided crabs, but their value was not high, so no one wanted to eat them. If anything, it was just a food to help the poor. But now, three-sided crabs have reached out to large markets, supermarkets, and exported abroad, so they have great value. Each kilo of fresh three-sided crabs now costs at least 70,000 VND/kg, and at peak times the price is higher. In particular, salted three-sided crabs are more expensive, about 150,000 VND/kg. Pre-mixed salted three-sided crabs (including lemon, garlic, chili, and sugar) cost twice as much. This dish has been exported, so it is very famous in the market today.
Unique cultural heritage
The salting of three-striped crabs in Rach Goc town, Ngoc Hien district, Ca Mau was honored as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2019. Three-striped crabs are crustaceans, similar in shape and size to field crabs, but live in saltwater, brackish water, along rivers and canals, under the canopy of mangrove forests. Because of the three stripes on their backs, people call them three-striped crabs.
The way to catch and salt three-sided crab is very elaborate, to make a dish imbued with the culinary culture of the pioneering period.
To pickle a batch of delicious three-sided crab is a secret that has been learned over a long period of time.
According to those with many years of experience, the crab must be washed thoroughly, the brine must be clear and salty enough. The right saltiness is considered when cold rice is added and it will float.
Maybe the three-sided crab had no value in the past, but now it has become a specialty, a dish of the rich, so it is very popular.
Leaving the mangrove forest, the crab boarded the plane
Since being exported, the three-sided crab products have become more delicious, more beautiful, and safer to preserve.
Ms. Nguyen Thuy An, owner of Ba Na crab facility, Hamlet 6, Ward 1, Ca Mau city, cherishes the idea of bringing crabs from the mangrove forest to the world by plane. To realize her dream, in addition to investing in modern machinery and equipment to create eye-catching products, quality and food hygiene and safety are extremely important.
Ms. An shared: "The selection of the three-sided crab before salting is very important. The first requirement is that the three-sided crab must have a clear origin, and it is imperative that no preservatives are used." After nearly 4 years of development, with an affirmed brand reputation, Ms. An's Ba Na Food pre-mixed salted three-sided crab has customers in many provinces in the country and abroad. Currently, 25% of the facility's output is exported to foreign markets.
Ca Mau province has more than 400 households with more than 1,200 workers directly involved in salted crab production. Salted crab products are not only favored by the local community, but are also sold to other countries, earning a significant amount of foreign currency.
(Posted on the special edition of Lao Dong Xuan At Ty)
