On a late March afternoon, when the Central Highlands heat had just subsided, Mr. Rcom Dam Mo Ai (residing at 22 Tang Bat Ho, Doan Ket ward, Ayun Pa town) led us up the mountain to hunt for stone crabs. Crossing a forest path full of wild grass, we arrived at the foot of the Ia Rbol spillway (Ia Rbol commune, Ayun Pa town). This season, the water gradually recedes, revealing large and small rocks lying close together. Pointing to the clear streams, Mr. Mo Ai said: "That place is home to many stone crabs."

Stone crabs, also known as mountain crabs, live mainly in streams and rocky crevices, where the water is clean and less polluted. At first glance, stone crabs and field crabs may seem similar, but they are actually very different. Stone crabs are usually reddish brown, purple or dark black, have large, strong claws, and a hard, rugged shell like a boulder. Meanwhile, field crabs are earthy brown or yellow-brown, have a soft shell and smaller claws. In addition, stone crabs are very aggressive, ready to use their large, strong claws to clamp down on prey and fight off enemies.

Mr. Mo Ai said: In Ayun Pa, stone crabs mainly live in streams with many rocks such as: Ia Rbol, Da stream or mountain streams. From May to July when it starts to rain, the crabs come out of their holes to look for food. In March, the crabs start to lay eggs. During this time, female crabs move less and hide deep in the caves to protect their eggs, so to catch a crab, you have to be patient. Sometimes it takes 5-10 minutes to get one. Crabs often hide under deep rock crevices or dig holes about 1 meter deep on the edge of the stream - where there are many hard rocks - so digging is quite difficult.

According to Mr. Mo Ai, hunting stone crabs is not easy, requiring extensive experience. Local people often go crab hunting early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the crabs crawl out of their burrows to find food. Because stone crabs move quickly and skillfully hide in crevices of rocks, the crab hunter must be quick-eyed and quick-handed.

The meat of stone crabs is firm, chewy, sweet and has a distinctive aroma. Stone crab eggs are orange-yellow or bright red, clinging tightly under the shell. During the breeding season, female crabs will carry the eggs for many weeks, before the eggs hatch into baby crabs and float down the river. The Jrai people here often process stone crabs in many ways such as: grilling on a fire, dry-roasting or boiling. When cooked, the crab shell turns a bright yellow color, looking extremely beautiful. To make the dish more flavorful, the Jrai people in the Ayun Pa valley often pound the crabs with perilla leaves, yellow ant salt or bay leaves. The crushed crabs, mixed with fragrant perilla leaves and spicy and sour yellow ant salt, make anyone who enjoys them remember them forever.

Taking advantage of his free evenings, Nay Nhan (Hiao hamlet, Chu Bah commune, Ayun Pa town) and other young people in the village go to Da stream to catch crabs. During the rainy season, there are many crabs, he can catch more than 30 per night. “During the dry season, the crabs live in deep caves, so catching a few is a great joy. Here, people catch crabs mainly to eat and give to distinguished guests,” Nhan shared.

Mr. Ksor Mgo (in the same village) said: His childhood was associated with stone crabs. When he was a child, every time he followed his father back from the fields, he took the opportunity to wade through the stream to catch crabs. Just a few stone crabs grilled over charcoal were enough to warm the stomachs of the village children. According to Mr. Mgo, stone crabs in Ayun Pa are delicious, although processed simply, they still retain the characteristic sweetness of the mountains and forests. "During the rainy season, when the stream water rises, catching crabs is difficult, but that is also the time when the crabs have the most meat and are the firmest, making any dish delicious" - Mr. Mgo happily said.

According to local people, in the past, there were a lot of stone crabs in this area, but due to environmental changes and water pollution, stone crabs have gradually decreased. "Nowadays, people are more aware of protecting stone crabs. People only catch adult crabs to avoid extinction and preserve long-term resources," added Mr. Mo Ai.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/len-nui-san-cua-da-post316214.html