Teochew Cold Crab (Leng Pang He) Tradition
Chaozhou (Teochew), Guangdong Province
Teochew (Chaozhou) raw marinated crab — leng pang he — is one of the most prized and controversial dishes in Chaozhou cuisine. Live mud crabs are marinated raw in soy sauce, garlic, chili, Shaoxing wine, and sesame oil for 24–48 hours, killing the crabs through osmotic action and 'cooking' the proteins partially. The result is a semi-cured, intensely flavoured crab with almost custard-like flesh.