Delicious rice noodles with stir-fried clams

(Baonghean) - Visiting the countryside of Nghe An province during this season, you will have the opportunity to enjoy many delicious and nutritious dishes made from clams. Among them, the clam dish served with "dry crackers" (rice crackers, rice paper) from Vinh village in Thanh Chuong district has the sweet and fragrant taste of clams from the Lam River...

Like clams and mussels, cockles are hard-shelled animals that only live in sandy, flowing water. In winter, cockles crawl to deeper waters to avoid the cold, and in late spring, after the first rains and warmer weather, they crawl up to shallow water to feed and reproduce.

Soak the clams in rice water for about an hour to remove any impurities, then rinse them thoroughly several times. Afterward, boil the clams in a pot with a little salt, stirring constantly to separate the meat from the shells. The clam broth can be used to make a delicious and sweet vegetable soup.

Clams are readily available in the market this season.

Clams are a cooling food, rich in nutrients, and their meat can be used in many dishes. However, stir-frying them with chives, roasted peanuts, and serving them with sesame crackers is the simplest, easiest, most popular, and also considered the most delicious dish.

To prepare this dish, besides clam meat, you will need the following ingredients: onions, chives, chili peppers, garlic, rice crackers, cooking oil, spices, and black pepper. Clean the clam meat and drain it. Chop the onions into smaller pieces than you would for stir-frying beef, cut the chives into 2-3 cm pieces, and crush the garlic.

Heat lard or oil in a pan until very hot, then add garlic, onion, and chili peppers and stir-fry briefly. Next, add the clams and stir-fry quickly for about 5 minutes. Note that you should use high heat while stir-frying to ensure the clams cook quickly and don't release too much water. According to home cooks, the secret to preventing the clams from drying out and shrinking is to add a little fish sauce to the pan while stir-frying. Season to taste. Wait for the clams to absorb the seasoning and become firm, then add the chives and turn off the heat.

Arrange the clams on a plate, add some roasted peanuts, and serve with rice crackers. The rice crackers are crispy and broken into bite-sized pieces. When eating, you don't need a spoon, chopsticks, or fork; just use a piece of rice cracker to scoop up the clams. The rich, fragrant flavor of the clams, the spiciness of the chili, the refreshing coolness of the chives, and the crispy texture of the rice cracker combine to make this simple dish a delightful treat, especially during hot summer days.

Stir-fried clams.

On warm, sunny days like these, people in many communes such as Thanh Van, Thanh Linh, Thanh Tuong, Thanh Giang, Vo Liet, etc., often gather clams to use as food and to sell in the market.

I've eaten stir-fried clams, clam porridge, and clam soup countless times, but like everyone else, I'm still excited when clam season arrives. I think that besides its culinary value, clams served with crackers are delicious for many reasons. First, it's very clean, which is the best choice in today's market where many food products are contaminated. Secondly, it's a product of my hometown, a place filled with the joyful laughter of village girls, the rhythmic tapping of boats, the glimpses of fishing boats in the early mornings, and a childhood memory of bathing bare-chested while catching clams on the riverbanks of my hometown…

The clam season has arrived on the Lam River. Anyone who wants to eat clams, explore, or relive their childhood should come along the banks of the Lam River, to Thanh Chuong district.

Tran Dinh Ha

(Thanh Chuong Radio Station)