Kunshan cuisine: the best bites of autumn

Autumn, with cooling temperatures and clear weather, awakens appetites dulled by the heat of summer. It's a great time to enjoy some delicious seasonal specialties. Here are some recommended delicacies in Kunshan, Jiangsu province.

Hairy crabs are among the most sought-after delicacies this season, with steamed ones proving to be most popular.

Hairy crabs (Chinese: 大闸蟹)

In season: from mid-September to mid-November

Autumn is the best season to eat hairy crabs, and those caught in the Yangcheng Lake are considered to be among the tastiest.

The traditional way to cook the crab is through steaming it, which fully brings out the original flavor.

The crab is served in a variety of ways, such as, braised hairy crab with dried scallops, wok-fried hairy crab with spring onion, wine-preserved crab, and braised bean curd with crab.

The crab is best eaten with vinegar, soy sauce, or ginger tea, to balance the yin and yang within your body, according to traditional Chinese beliefs.