Clams Recipe Chinese Style

STIR-FRIED CLAMS IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Before you do anything, make sure that your clams are washed thoroughly. There's nothing more unpleasant than finding sand in your food. When your ingredients have been prepared and you're ready to cook, heat the oil in your wok over high heat. Add the ginger and allow it to caramelize (about 20 seconds), taking care not to burn it.
• Next, add the garlic, scallion, peppers and fermented black beans, and stir fry the mixture for about 10 seconds. Add the clams. Pour the Shaoxing wine around the perimeter of the wok, and immediately cover the wok. Cook until the clams begin to open. At this point, the liquid in the wok should be boiling and generating steam when the wok is covered. The time for the clams to cook and open up depends upon the size and type of the clams you are using and how hot you can get your stove. Once a good number of them have opened, remove the cover and give everything a stir.
• Stir in the sugar, sesame oil, pepper. Discard any of the clams that didn't open. Now taste the sauce. If it's not salty enough, you can add a little bit of soy sauce. Once your satisfied with the flavor of the sauce, add about half of the corn starch slurry to the liquid in the wok and stir. Add more slurry if needed to further thicken the sauce.
• Stir in the chopped cilantro and gently stir the mixture so the sauce coats the clams.
• Serve immediately.

EASY CHINESE CLAMS WITH BLACK BEAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Briefly rinse the black beans with water, then drain them and put them in a bowl with 30ml (2tbsp) of hot water. Soak for about 15 minutes, then mash them with a fork and mix in the rice wine.
• Rinse the clams under cold running water then drain them in a colander.
• Cut the garlic cloves in half and thinly slice them. Slice the bird's-eye chillies (or other small hot chillies) in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and finely chop the flesh. Cut the banana chillies (or other long mild chillies) into thin rounds. Mince the spring onions. Dissolve the cornstarch in 15ml (1tbsp) of cool water.
• Place a wok over a high flame, pour in the cooking oil and, when it's hot, add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the bird's-eye chillies and stir, then mix in the black beans and the soaking liquid. Cook until sizzling, then add the clams, the banana chillies and about 60ml (¼cup) of hot water. Stir well, then cover the wok with the lid and turn the heat to medium. Cook for several minutes, or until the clams are cooked, stirring occasionally. If needed, stir in a little more water (the clams will give off a lot of liquid). The clams are ready when the shells open.
• Push the clams to the sides of the wok to create a well in the centre. Stir the cornstarch/water mixture, then drizzle it into the liquid in the well. Stir everything together and simmer for about 30 seconds, or until the liquid thickens slightly. Taste for seasonings and adjust, if necessary.
• Transfer the ingredients to a serving dish, sprinkle with spring onion and garnish with fresh cori­ander sprigs.

CLAMS, CHINESE STYLE

Steps:

• Boil the Spaghetti according to the package.
• While the spaghetti is cooking, put the Clams, Soya Sauce, Oil, Red Chilis and salt in a bowl. Mix well.
• When the spaghetti is done, drain and set aside.
• Put the clam mixture in a pan and fry on medium heat for 1 minute.
• Add in spaghetti and fry for 2 more minutes, mix evey ten seconds.
• Turn off the heat and serve hot.

ASIAN CLAMS CASINO

Steps:

• Stir together 8 cups cold water and the cornstarch in a large bowl. Add the clams, and let sit for 10 minutes. Transfer the clams to a strainer with a slotted spoon, leaving any sand at the bottom of the bowl. Rinse the clams thoroughly under cold water.
• Heat 2 tablespoons water in a straight-sided medium skillet over medium heat. When the water starts to bubble, add the clams in a single layer, and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook just until the shells open, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from the heat, and transfer the clams with a slotted spoon to a rimmed baking sheet to cool. Discard any clams that did not open. Pour any clam liquid from the skillet into a paper-towel-lined fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl; set aside. Wipe out the skillet.
• Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil to the skillet, and return it to medium heat. Add all but 2 tablespoons of the scallions to the oil, season with a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the mirin, 2 tablespoons of the reserved clam liquid and 2 tablespoons water, and cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat; set aside.
• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the broiler. Toss the panko with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and a few grinds of pepper in a small bowl; set aside.
• Remove the top shell from each clam by carefully twisting it off, leaving the bottom shells with the clams on the baking sheet; discard the top shells. Use your fingers to separate each clam from its muscle. Put 1/2 teaspoon of the reserved scallion-garlic mixture on top of each clam. Sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon of the panko mixture, making sure that the clams are completely covered.
• Broil the clams, keeping the oven door slightly ajar and watching carefully, until the panko is light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer the clams to a platter, garnish with the remaining 2 tablespoons sliced scallions and serve immediately.

MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE STEAMED CLAMS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine bread crumbs, pine nuts, and garlic on a baking sheet.
• Toast in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add clams, cover, and steam until open, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer toasted bread crumb mixture to a large bowl. Add basil and tomatoes and mix to combine. Toss clams in the bread crumb mixture and serve immediately.

CLAMS WITH ASIAN NOODLES

Steps:

• Rinse the black beans in several changes of water to remove excess salt. Pat them dry, then lightly crush them. Set them aside.
• Heat the peanut oil in a wok or a heavy casserole. Add the garlic, ginger and chili pepper and saute about a minute. Add the clams and stir.
• Add the chicken stock and rice wine, stir, then cover the pot and cook over medium heat until the clams have opened. Allow the clams to simmer in the broth another six minutes. Taste the broth. If it is too salty, add a little water or unseasoned chicken stock. Remove the pot from the heat.
• While the clams are cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the noodles and cook them about five minutes. Drain the noodles and place them in a warm serving dish. Toss them with the sesame oil.
• Reheat the clams, still in their shells, in their broth then pour the contents of the pot over the noodles. Sprinkle with scallions and coriander and serve

SPICY ASIAN-STYLE NOODLES WITH CLAMS

Steps:

• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally; drain well. Return to same pot; toss with 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Divide pasta among shallow bowls; cover and keep warm.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, onion, garlic, ginger and dried red pepper. Sauté until bell pepper begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup water, vinegar and soy sauce and bring to boil. Add clams. Cover pot and cook until clams open, about 10 minutes (discard any clams that do not open).
• Spoon clams and sauce over pasta. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

CLAMS STEAMED WITH GINGER AND SCALLIONS

Steps:

• Combine sauce ingredients in a bowl. Place clams in a steamproof dish. Stir sauce, pour over clams. Place dish on a rack in a wok over 6 cups boiling water, cover and steam, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Do not oversteam, or clams will become tough. Turn off heat and remove dish from steamer. Garnish with coriander and serve immediately.

MADAME CHU'S CLAMS IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Wash and clean clams. Soak in water for about 1 hour, then drain. Heat 2 quarts of water to a boil and add half the clams. As soon as each opens, remove it; then add the remaining clams and repeat the process. Pour cooking liquid into a container and let sand settle to the bottom. Measure out 2 cups of liquid for making sauce.
• Heat oil in a saucepan. Add ginger, garlic and fermented beans. Let them sizzle in the oil for a minute. Add 2 cups clam liquid. Let it boil for 2 minutes. Discard ginger and garlic.
• Add oyster sauce and mix a few times. Thicken with the predissolved cornstarch mixture (stirring again to make sure the water and cornstarch are thoroughly mixed).
• Arrange clams on platter and sprinkle scallions on top. Pour boiling sauce over clams. Serve immediately.