Sake-Steamed Clams
Sake-Steamed Clams
This is a delightfully simple and fast recipe for Japanese-style steamed clams in sake (Japanese rice wine) and kombu (kelp) stock. The clams will usually open within 3 minutes of steaming, and overcooking them will result in shrunken clams with a rubbery texture. Because of the ease and speed of which the clams cooked, I love to stock up on frozen, vacuum packs of asari clams in my freezer so that I can whip up a quick and gourmet meal anytime. The clams broth is full of umami deliciousness and I will not waste a drop of it. This recipe has very minimum ingredients (just kombu, sake and water), yet full of flavours. I enjoyed this dish with some steamed rice and warmed sake – totally indulgent! If you love clams, check out asari miso soup, Chinese-style steamed clams and Kam Heong clams recipes.
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Sake-Steamed Clams Recipe (Asari no Sakamushi)
- Serves: 1-2
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 8 mins
Step 2 of simmering the kombu will give additional umami (flavour of the sea) to the steamed clams; however, you may skip the step if you do not have kombu.
Ingredients
- 250 grams asari clams (or any local clams) if using frozen, thaw before use
- one 5cm x5cm (2 inch) piece of kombu (kelp)
- 200 ml water
- 100 ml sake
- 1/2 tbsp chopped spring onions
Instructions
- Scrub clams with a hard brush, then soak in salted water for at least an hour for the clams to purge out sand and impurities. Drain and rinse clams.
- Add kombu and water in pot, bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes and discard kombu.
- Add clams and sake. Close lid and steam for 2-3 minutes, until all the shells open. Discard any clams that remain closed.
- Ladle clams and clam broth to a serving bowl and top with chopped spring onions.
(Get more photos, cooking notes and ingredients list on page 2)
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{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
This looks so delicious and easy to prepare. Yummy!
Hi, the sake you used, is it cooking sake?
If not, maybe I know where can buy the sake?
Thanks =)
hi, you can use both cooking or drinking sake. I got the drinking sake from dfs, but you can easily find at supermarkets too. In fact I think they sell those $10 mini bottle at ntuc & cs.
I can imagine how good your dish is, the broth must be very sweet!
I could almost taste the freshness from the photos! Yummy!
They sell frozen clams with shells? I shall check it out!
yes, with shells!
What a simple dish- I could just imagine sake with seafood! good pairing for sure.
Yum! I need to eat more clams since I heard that clams is actually pretty healthy food.
Oh! This clams look so good…like the idea of sake…so simple and yet so tasty.
Beautiful pictures as always :)
Hope you are having a fabulous week!
I am definitely a clam lover (compared to mussels). Since I don’t have much Japanese seasonings, I usually steam them Chinese style.
I have not tried frozen clams before…I am always afraid they will not be fresh. But frozen clams is definitely a good idea to stock up and store then use when needed. The reason I don’t cook clams often as much as I like them is I have to get them fresh and I don’t go to the Asian supermarket that often to get the fresh ones.
love Chinese style too! I also thought that frozen clams won’t be good, but the ones I bought are fresh, and as a bonus, bigger than lala clams. The frozen ones I see at Giant don’t look very good so I never tried. I think it’s worth finding a good brand in your area so that can stock up in future :) and I think they need to be vacuum packed, else the clams will lose a lot of moisture if just frozen without vacuum.
Just want you to know that I made these last night…Excellent.
where did you buy the clams?