As a massive archipelagic country consisting of over 17.000 islands and vast expanses of water with countless species of fish and marine life, Indonesia is understandably known for its seafood, and crabs are no exception.
For fans of Indonesian seafood, two types of crabs are popular, the Kalimantan crabs and Papua crabs. The Papuan variety is noted for its larger size and thicker flesh when compared to the Kalimantan variety.
Another of its unique characteristics is the slightly bitter taste. According to Albert Wijaya, an executive chef at a seafood restaurant, the natural bitterness is inherent to the Papua crab, and remains regardless of cooking method. This bitter taste is not widely known so people who taste it for the first time will often be surprised.
“Even when fresh, the Papua crab is a bit bitter because that is its characteristic and natural flavour. No matter how it is prepared, a hint of bitterness will remain,” said Chef Albert.
When asked which of the two crab varieties is better, Chef Albert stated that both are high quality even though they have different characteristics.
“People from Kalimantan will say that their crab is the most delicious, while Papuans will claim that their crab is the best. Everyone has different tastes,” he added. (http://papuanews.id)
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