Crab and Egg

Flavor: Mild and Gingery

The changing seasons determined the menu in the Szechwanese countryside. Spring was the time for delicate green vegetables; the tender young bamboo shoots that sprouted in the small grove next to the family’s kitchen were spring foods, just as fresh fruits and melons were summer ones. Winter was the time for steamed dishes and big bowls of soup noodles, over which the children warmed their hands.

Crabs were also a seasonal delicacy. The food literatu