Wokipedia: H is For ...

“Wokipedia” is a regular magazine column in which we introduce aspects of Chinese gastronomy, one letter at a time.

… hairy crab 大闸蟹
Just what is the deal with these guys, and why is their hirsute quality a selling point? These crabs, called dazha xie, are a beloved autumn delicacy in the Yangcheng lake region near Suzhou. Even in Beijing, you’ll see ads, promotions and specialty shops popping up just to peddle the meaty, fertile crustaceans (the high season corresponds with their roe and sperm production). True crab-lovers approach its eating like artisans. Fuchsia Dunlop gathered several tips in an article for the BBC: Leave a couple legs on as handles for slurping the jewels inside the shell, dip in ginger and vinegar to balance the cold qi of the flesh, and never, ever eat the heart.

… hami gua 哈密瓜
China’s muskmelon is so named because it originates from Hami, Xinjiang. It’s often translated as cantaloupe, but while its flesh has the same lovely pale orange complexion as its Western counterpart, the hami melon has a crisper texture and milder flavor.

… hetao 核桃
Walnuts are by no means indigenous to China, but the Chinese sure have taken to them. In today’s cuisine, you can find them tossed with some wood-ear fungus in a cold dish, or, in Chinatowns the world over, caramelized and served with mayonnaise-clad fried shrimp. The nut’s health benefits (antioxidant-rich, fat-busting, sperm-fortifying) certainly haven’t hurt their popularityhere. Walnut shells have also become investment pieces. Two very similar, symmetrical shells that have been worn smooth with oils from a diligent nut-shuffler’s hands can fetch a pretty mao.

… huoqi 火气
Naysay if you must, but some of us really do believe that certain foods with hot or fiery qi can throw off the body’s internal balance. If you often have breakouts of acne and eczema or cold sores in your mouth, you might be an unknowing victim of huoqi. The culprits? Fried foods, lychee, garlic, onion, red peppers, meat and chocolate, to name a few. Yep, all the good stuff. Eat with caution.

Photo: cultural-china.com