🍲 Seige (Female snow crab hotpot)

"Seige (se-e-ge)" is a local dish in Fukui Prefecture, featuring the winter delicacy known as Echizen crab. Specifically, it uses female snow crabs called "seiko gani" . This dish is a regional specialty that highlights the unique flavors of the female snow crab in the Echizen region of Fukui. It is a local dish that has been eaten in the Kono district of Minami-Echizen Town, which has prospered from fishing since the Edo period, and each family has its own recipe. "Seiko gani" carries eggs, with the visible part on the outside known as "soto-ko" and the part inside the shell where the eggs originate referred to as "uchi-ko". It is called "seiko gani" because the name originates from the meaning "carrying children on the back," referring to the fact that the female snow crab carries its eggs on its back. In the past, this female snow crab ("seiko gani") was primarily consumed locally and not shipped to other areas. It was a taste enjoyed by the local community, gracing the dinner table daily during the winter as a commoner's delight. Especially, "Seige" is a creative dish featuring the legs of the female snow crab ("seiko gani"). It involves simmering the crab legs, along with daikon radish grated with miso, and serving it over rice. It can also be enjoyed as a side dish with sake, showcasing a unique culinary twist using the female snow crab. The shell of the female snow crab ("seiko gani") releases a rich broth, making it delicious. Originally, fishermen used to eat this as a hearty meal onboard, using the crab shell as a makeshift pot or plate. During the mid-Edo period (around the mid-18th century) until the 1930s in the Meiji era, there was a trade route known as the "Kitamae-bune" that sailed along the Sea of Japan from Hokkaido to Osaka. These merchant ships, called "Kitamae-bune," would circulate among various ports, trading goods. It is said that the roots of this dish trace back to the culinary practices of the sailors on these ships.