A classic Jiangnan
冷菜 (cold dish). Live river crabs are marinated, never cooked, in Shaoxing yellow wine (
黄酒), soy, ginger, and spices for several days until the flesh firms up and takes on a sweet, winey flavor. Delicious but raw: pregnant travelers and foreign visitors are usually advised to pass, and authorities periodically warn about parasite risk (paragonimiasis).
