香辣小龙虾的做法
提起小龙虾，我们立刻会想起盱眙的小龙虾节，还有北京簋街晚上那一盘盘红光泛油的麻小。但是你知道吗？美国人也吃小龙虾的，也是做成辣味呢！美国小龙虾的故乡就是南部的路易斯安那州。
早在欧洲人来到路州之前，美国土著就已经学会吃小龙虾了。路州的沼泽湖泊很多，为小龙虾的生长提供了天然优越的条件。而欧洲人的到来，将自己的文化和烹调特色留在了这里。特别是阿卡地亚法国移民后裔带来的以辛辣为主的卡真式食品，风靡全美。这小龙虾就是卡真食物的代表。
吃小龙虾是讲究季节的，初春到夏末是最好时候。初春之时，路州首府新奥尔良市还有狂欢节。人们穿着奇装异服走在大街上，好不热闹。游行的人们向沿途围观的人抛彩色珠链。那是这个游行的特色之一呢！入夜，在著名的波旁街，酒馆传出节奏感强烈的爵士乐，人们坐在露天的饭桌旁，一边吃着面前堆积如山的小龙虾，一边喝着冰镇啤酒，那生活真是赛过神仙。
美国人吃小龙虾的方式只有一种，就是水煮。通常找一口直桶大铝锅，里面放上水，再放一包小龙虾调料。调料里有盐、辣椒、胡椒、芹菜粉、香叶、俄勒冈、姜粉、芥末籽等，非常之辣，据说曾有很会吃辣的湖南人吃过都直呼受不了。小龙虾倒进锅里后，用根长长的木棍边煮边搅和，一方面是为了让调料充分溶解，另一方面也是为了找出死掉的小龙虾。据说，如果小龙虾是弯的，说明还活着，死的身体就变直了。因为小龙虾是吃腐殖质长大的，如果死去太久，会产生组胺等有毒物质，不可以吃。如果刚死没多久还是可以吃的。除了这些，锅里还要放几瓣蒜，还要放一些其他食物，如蘑菇、洋葱、玉米、柠檬、红土豆等，都放在一个小网兜里，一起放到锅里煮。
等煮熟了，控干净水，在桌上铺上报纸，往上一倒，哗地一下，桌上就起了座小山，一群人围在桌边大吃大喝起来。美国人吃小龙虾就是这般，把头揪下来，把中间的虾肉向外一抽，直接放嘴里吃了，连泥肠也不去掉，真是生猛！吃小龙虾，配的主食是玉米松糕，甜香的玉米粉，烘得金黄松软，送到嘴里软糯可口，与香辣的小龙虾真是绝配。
小龙虾季节过后，虽然没有活的小龙虾吃了，但是冷冻的虾肉一年四季都有卖的。虾肉可以做成汤，小龙虾浇饭，小龙虾炒饭等，还有路州独具特色的小龙虾汉堡，虽然看起来和普通汉堡无异，但是炸得酥脆的肉饼里夹的是小龙虾肉，味道还是一如既往地辣，充分体现卡真食物特色。
过去小龙虾都是野生的。小龙虾极易繁殖，成长也很快，但是还是禁不住这么多人要吃，早在上世纪60年代，路州就有小龙虾养殖场了。如今大多数市面上卖的小龙虾都是养殖的，野生的已经不多见了。偶尔还能在小溪中见到一些野生的。小龙虾的智商很低，很容易就被抓到。我曾经见过一个墨西哥人在溪水边钓小龙虾。他只是用一根树枝，在末端绑了块鸡肉，伸到水中，不一会儿，就有小龙虾上钩，他提起树枝，抓住小龙虾丢进旁边的塑料桶中。就这样，不到一小时，他竟钓了十几只，看得我真是眼馋啊！
虽然小龙虾的养殖已经扩展到得克萨斯、密西西比、北卡罗来纳等州，但是路州仍是小龙虾的主要产区，占了总产量的90%。其他州的民众，如果想吃到活的小龙虾，可以从网上订购。一般小龙虾公司都有这项业务。只要把日期给他们，他们保证当日空运到。美国的机场也有冷藏库，可以存放邮寄的活海鲜。我以前的一个老板的太太是路州人，搬到加州之后仍是怀念家乡的美味，于是每年小龙虾季节，都会订购100磅活虾，请公司的人来家里吃。他们甚至在半年前就下好订单，100磅小龙虾被放在一个大的泡沫塑料盒子里，据说还有让海鲜暂停新陈代谢的休眠剂。我老板接到通知，就在当天清晨从机场取回小龙虾，中午大家就能吃上了。
路州在1983年将小龙虾作为州的代表动物，并且每年都举办小龙虾节，说小龙虾是路州的特色食物，真是名副其实啊！
you can cook crawfish by this way
Directions (beer drinking optional)
Before you cook them. Rinse them. We recommend that you rinse your crawfish with plain water before cooking. Rinse them until draining water is clear.
Fill the large pot half full with fresh water, place on outdoor propane cooker, and start the fire. Place the lid on the pot and bring water to a boil.
While you wait for water to boil, rinse the crawfish with fresh cool water until draining water is clear. You do not need to “purge” them with salt. Rinsing will do just fine.
Drink another beer. Give one to a friend.
Add about 1 lb of Fruge's Original Seafood Boil to water. Let the boiling water mix it well for a minute or so.
Time to drink another beer. Send sober friend to store for more beer.
Drop in all 8 onions (halved), the potatoes and fresh garlic. Let this cook, keeping an eye on the potatoes. (Check for doneness by stabbing with a sharp knife or fork. If it goes in easy, it is cooked. Hint: Do not overcook potatoes, slightly undercook them because they will continue to steam and cook in the ice chest. You don't want to end up with mashed potatoes.)
When the potatoes are almost done, add the corn and mushrooms. After they have cooked, lower the fire on the burner and remove the basket. Place the vegetables in a small clean ice chest . Time to drink another beer.
Turn the heat up on the burner. Add more spice to the water. (About 25 oz. Save about 1 lb of spice for later.) Take the lemons (halved) and squeeze the juice in the water. Then add the lemons to the water. When the water comes to a boil, place the crawfish into the basket and put the basket in the pot. (Be careful - it's very hot!) Put the lid on the pot and enjoy another beer.
When the water comes back to a rolling boil - keep a very close eye on this part (time it) - let it boil for 2 minutes and turn off the fire. Let the crawfish soak for a few minutes and then remove. Hint: Kill the boil by adding cold water or a bag of ice. Then let the crawfish soak. Most of the crawfish will sink to the bottom and fill with spicy water (JUICES).
Remove the Crawfish from the pot and pour into an ice chest while your friend sprinkles the remaining seasoning. Mix this well and let steam for 5 minutes. Use more or less spice to your taste.
You can dump everything on newspaper on a table or serve it out of the ice chest. Food stays hot in the chest… your choice.
Now it's time to really drink beer and eat. The vegetables are for those guests who cannot figure out how to peel the crawfish. At least they won't starve.
