Saigon Food Guide: Crabs

Crabs - one of the most exotic dishes in Vietnamese cuisine - is loved by many Saigon locals. With its humble, yet amazing and sweet delivery, crabs can be made into several luxurious, mouth-watering dishes. Here is our guide to eating crabs, prepared in Saigon’s ways.

1. Steamed Crabs

One of the most popular ways to enjoy this protein at its best is to keep things simple, which is steaming. A good tip in picking your fresh crabs is to look out for their shell color, the duller the better. It should be dark, which mean they’re likely to have more meat.


2. Stir-fried Crabs In Tamarind Sauce

Another amazing way to have crabs is to add tamarind sauce. The sour taste from the tamarind gives the dish a light tanginess, balanced by the sweet sugar, spicy chili and fragrant garlic. It’s a dish you’ll never forget.

 Photo source: Mam Vietnamese Restaurant

3. Grilled Crabs With Rock Salt

As simple as it may sounds, this dish taste beyond belief. The flavor of crabs is greatly enhanced just by adding a small amount of salt and garlic. Compared to regular refined salt, rock salt/sea salt is favored more for its depth of flavour.