The crabs of Huahine

Huahine is famous for its delicious green crabs also called mangrove crabs or Samoa crabs in other regions of the Great Pacific. In Latin, bearing the name Scylla Serrata, they are found in Africa, Asia and Australia. Here in Huahine, they are found everywhere in mangroves and shallow places with muddy bottoms. Their best-known habitat is Lake Fauna Nui, more commonly known as Lake Maeva. But there are also some in Tefarerii as the photos in this little article attest. You can pick them up from February to October, but I haven't seen any at the Fare market at the moment (March). To collect them, it's quite an expedition. We did it with hooks tied to nylon on which pieces of octopus or tupa (land crab) were attached. When the floats sink, there is a crab at the end of the line. So, you have to wade into the mud with a big net and gently pull on the line so that the crab enters the net. A whole technique requiring a lot of patience. In half a day, we caught several kilos of big crabs! Others who are braver stick their hands into the crevices and catch the crabs that way! I'll save the best for last: cooking these crabs. Here in Tahiti, it's crabs in mayonnaise or Chinese-style ginger crabs. But, a friend from Malaysia taught me to prepare them Singapore style with an appetizing spicy red sauce, or stir-fried with salted egg yolks, or with caramelized soy, and finally with Chinese vermicelli. Thank you Yen for your recipes! Enjoy your food. I have to go open my crabs and clean them next to the pontoon here in Tefarerii! Bye !