Tiếng Việt
ไทยThai steamed clams is an attractive seafood dish loved by many for its harmonious sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors, deeply rooted in Thai cuisine. Without going to a restaurant, you can completely prepare authentic and delicious Thai steamed clams right at home with easy-to-find ingredients and simple methods. In this article, join Ola Squid to explore 5 delicious ways to make Thai steamed clams.
1. Instructions for making simple Thai steamed clams
1.1. Ingredients
To prepare Thai steamed clams simply and quickly, you need to prepare the following ingredients:
- 3kg of fresh clams
- 140g of Thai hotpot sauce (about 1/2 bottle)
- 3 shallots, 8 bird’s eye chilies
- 1 fresh coconut (for water)
- 1 ginger root, 3 stalks of lemongrass
- 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 3 tablespoons of cooking oil
1.2. Instructions
- Step 1 – Clean the clams: Wash the clams several times to remove sand, then soak them in diluted salt water with chopped chilies for about 1-2 hours to purge mud. Remove, rinse again, and drain.
- Step 2 – Prepare other ingredients: Wash the lemongrass, crush it, and cut it into segments. Mince the shallots, slice the ginger, and chop the chilies.
- Step 3 – Steam the clams: Next, heat the cooking oil and sauté the lemongrass, shallots, ginger, and chilies until fragrant. Add coconut water and bring to a boil, then add the Thai hotpot sauce and stir well. Season with seasoning powder, fish sauce, and sugar to taste.
- Step 4 – Completion: When the liquid boils again, add the clams, cover, and cook until the clams open completely, then turn off the heat. Thai steamed clams have the characteristic aroma of lemongrass and ginger, with naturally sweet and chewy clam meat; eating them hot is extremely appealing.
2. How to make Thai steamed clams with tamarind
2.1. Ingredients
The ingredients needed to cook Thai steamed clams with tamarind are as follows:
- 1kg of fresh clams
- 50g of ripe tamarind (peeled)
- 1 garlic bulb, 3 stalks of lemongrass, a bit of Vietnamese coriander
- 5 shallots, 2 chilies
- 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of cooking oil
- 1.5 tablespoons of chili sauce, 2 teaspoons of seasoning powder
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
2.2. Instructions
- Step 1 – Preparation: Soak clams in rice water mixed with salt for about 1-2 hours to remove sand, then rinse several times and drain. Divide the lemongrass into two parts: mince one half and cut the rest into segments. Soak ripe tamarind in hot water, mash it, and filter for the juice. Mince shallots and garlic, and slice the chilies. Wash the Vietnamese coriander and let it drain.
- Step 2 – Steam the clams: Then, heat the cooking oil and sauté the shallots, garlic, and minced lemongrass. Add the tamarind juice to the pot, add sugar, chili sauce, fish sauce, seasoning powder, and a little hot water, then stir until the mixture boils.
- Step 3 – Completion: Next, add the clams, cover, and cook over low heat until the clams open. Add the chilies, stir gently, season again, and turn off the heat. Thai steamed clams with tamarind have a harmonious sour and spicy taste, a rich sauce, a fragrant lemongrass and garlic aroma, and a hint of Vietnamese coriander.
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3. How to cook spicy and sour Thai steamed clams
3.1. Ingredients
The ingredients needed to prepare spicy and sour Thai steamed clams include:
- 1kg of fresh clams
- 3 stalks of lemongrass, 5 lime leaves
- 1 horn chili, 1/2 pineapple
- 50g of tamarind, 5g of ginger
- 5 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon of sate sauce, 1 teaspoon of chili powder
- 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, ½ tablespoon of seasoning powder
- 1/3 tablespoon of salt
3.2. Instructions
- Step 1 – Preparation: First, soak the purchased clams in diluted salt water for about 1 hour to remove sand, then rinse and drain. Soak tamarind in hot water, mash it, and filter for the juice. Cut the pineapple into small pieces, crush the lemongrass and cut into segments, and slice the ginger. Mince the garlic and chilies.
- Step 2 – Steam the clams: Next, put the pineapple in a pan and simmer with sugar over low heat until fragrant, then set aside. Heat the cooking oil, sauté the garlic, then add the lemongrass, ginger, lime leaves, and simmered pineapple and stir well. Then add water and season with seasoning powder, salt, chili powder, sate sauce, chili sauce, and tamarind juice; stir well and bring to a boil.
- Step 3 – Completion: When the broth boils, add the clams, cover, and steam quickly until the clams open. Finally, add the minced chili, stir gently, and turn off the heat. Spicy and sour Thai steamed clams have the clear sour taste of tamarind, the pungent heat of chili and sate sauce, blending with the aroma of lemongrass, lime leaves, and pineapple.
4. How to make Thai steamed clams with lime
4.1. Ingredients
Ingredients needed:
- 1kg of fresh clams
- 4 stalks of lemongrass, 10 lime leaves
- 1 horn chili, 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, 1 tablespoon of tomato sauce
- 3 teaspoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of seasoning powder
- ½ teaspoon of MSG, 1 tablespoon of chili sauce
4.2. Instructions
- Step 1 – Preparation: First, soak the clams in diluted salt water with crushed chili for about 1 hour to purge sand, then rinse and drain. Crush the lemongrass and cut into segments, halve the horn chili, and squeeze the lime for juice. Shred half of the lime leaves and leave the rest whole.
- Step 2 – Steam the clams: Heat the cooking oil, sauté the lemongrass until fragrant, then add the chili and whole lime leaves and stir well. Then add filtered water with chili sauce, tomato sauce, sugar, seasoning powder, and MSG; stir until the seasonings dissolve completely.
- Step 3 – Result: Add the lime juice to the pot, then add the clams and stir gently, cover, and cook until the clams open their mouths, then turn off the heat. Sprinkle the shredded lime leaves on top and it’s done. Thai steamed clams with lime have a rich, aromatic sauce, very suitable for serving hot during family gatherings or as an attractive appetizer.
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5. Instructions for making Thai steamed clams using Thai hotpot seasoning packet
5.1. Ingredients
The ingredients to prepare include:
- 1kg of fresh clams
- 5 garlic cloves, 1 bird’s eye chili
- 1 horn chili, 1/2 pineapple
- 100g of lemongrass stalks, 1/2 packet of Thai hotpot seasoning
- 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of MSG
- 1/3 teaspoon of salt
5.2. Instructions
- Step 1 – Preparation: Soak clams in diluted salt water for about 1 hour to remove sand, then rinse and drain. Crush the lemongrass and cut into segments, mince the garlic, and slice the chili. Divide the pineapple into two parts: slice one half thinly and mince the rest.
- Step 2 – Steam the clams: Heat the cooking oil, sauté the garlic, then add the sliced pineapple and stir briefly. Next, add water and the Thai hotpot seasoning to the pot, stir to dissolve. Then add the lemongrass and chili, bring to a boil, and season with salt, sugar, and MSG to taste.
- Step 3 – Completion: Finally, add the clams, cover, and steam quickly until the clams just open, then turn off the heat. Thai steamed clams using a hotpot seasoning packet have a characteristic sour and spicy taste, a rich broth, the aroma of lemongrass and pineapple along with sweet clam meat.
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6. Tips for choosing and preparing fresh clams
You should choose clams that are still alive, with mouths tightly closed or slightly open that quickly close when touched. Prioritize clams with hard, intact shells that are not cracked. Additionally, avoid buying clams that are too small or feel light in the hand because they often have little meat, are less fatty, and have low nutritional value. In particular, you should not buy clams with a strange foul smell to ensure the dish is delicious and safe.
After buying clams and to prepare them clean of sand, without being fishy while maintaining their natural sweet taste, you can apply one of the following methods:
- Soak in salt water: Briefly wash the clams and then soak them in diluted salt water for about 1-2 hours. You can add crushed chilies or a few slices of fresh garlic to help the clams purge sand faster.
- Use stainless steel: Put a few stainless steel spoons or forks into the basin where the clams are soaking to increase cleaning efficiency.
- Quick blanch with vinegar: After soaking in salt water, you should blanch the clams in boiling water mixed with a little vinegar and then remove them, which is suitable for stir-fried dishes.
- Shake the clams: Put the clams in a container with water, close tightly and shake vigorously, then continue soaking for about 1 hour before rinsing clean again.
Thai steamed clams is an attractive dish thanks to its rich sour and spicy flavor and its not-too-complicated but extremely enticing preparation, suitable for both family meals and friend gatherings. We hope the above shares have helped you understand better and easily perform this dish at home. Don’t forget to visit the Ola Squid Culinary Corner to explore more interesting culinary articles, useful cooking tips, and other attractive information! If you love seafood, you can also explore our premium dried squid products for your next party.
