Many people love river clam soup, but are at a loss on how to kill the clams. How do you kill a river clam? It's actually very simple. Moreover, there isn't just one way to make river clam soup; different ingredients can result in various flavors. So, how do you kill a river clam, and what are the methods of making river clam soup? Let me introduce them one by one!
How to Kill a River Clam
Faced with the hard shell of a river clam, many people say they don't know how to kill it. The method is actually quite simple. First, hold the clam tightly in your left hand with the opening facing upwards and the body downwards. Then, using your right hand, insert a small knife from the water outlet, close to one side of the inner shell, into the body. Insert the knife about 1/3 of the depth. Use force to cut through the muscle that attaches the clam to its shell, then withdraw the knife and use the same method to cut the muscle on the other end. Open the shell and take out the clam meat intact. One river clam is now ready.
River Clam Soup Recipe: Pork Liver and River Clam Soup
Ingredients Preparation
400 grams of pork liver, 150 grams of river clams, 750 ml of fresh broth, 6 grams of rehydrated silver ear mushrooms, 3 grams of fine salt, 2 grams of monosodium glutamate, 15 grams of rice wine, 1 gram of white pepper powder, and an appropriate amount of sesame oil.
Cooking Steps
1. Remove the tendons and membranes from the pork liver and slice it into thin pieces about 5 cm long and 4 cm wide.
2. Heat the pot, add the fresh broth, cleaned rehydrated silver ear mushrooms, and river clams, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the pork liver slices, bring back to a boil, and skim off any scum. Add fine salt, monosodium glutamate, and rice wine. Once boiling, remove from heat, pour into a serving bowl, drizzle with sesame oil, and sprinkle with white pepper powder.
River Clam Soup Recipe: Salted Pork and River Clam Soup
Ingredients Preparation
150 grams of salted pork, 250 grams of river clams, chopped green onion, ginger slices, rice wine, salt, chicken essence, clear broth, white pepper powder, and salad oil as needed.
Cooking Steps
1. Wash the salted pork, boil it with green onions and ginger until cooked, let it cool, and then cut it into pieces.
2. Remove the gills and stomach from the river clams, and loosen the clam meat with the handle of a knife. Boil in a pot with ginger slices, chopped green onions, and rice wine until tender, then cut into large pieces.
3. Place the pot over heat, pour in salad oil, and heat. Add chopped green onions, ginger slices, river clams, and cooked salted pork pieces, and stir-fry briefly.
4. Add clear broth and bring to a boil, skimming off any scum. Add salt and chicken essence, discard the chopped green onions and ginger slices, sprinkle with white pepper powder, and serve in a bowl.
River Clam Soup Recipe: Prawn and River Clam Soup
Ingredients Preparation
150 grams of prawns, 50 grams of fresh clam meat, 25 grams of walnut kernels, 10 grams of dried mushrooms, 2 ginger slices, 20 grams of rice wine, vegetable oil, fine salt, and monosodium glutamate as needed.
Cooking Steps
1. Remove the whiskers and legs from the prawns and wash them; wash the mushrooms; toast the walnuts lightly over low heat.
2. Put all the ingredients together with an appropriate amount of boiling water into a stew pot, cover the pot, and steam.
3. Once the water in the pot boils, add ginger slices and rice wine, and simmer for 3 hours over medium heat. When done, add vegetable oil, fine salt, and monosodium glutamate.
What Are the Nutritional Benefits of River Clam Soup?
After learning how to kill a river clam and how to make river clam soup, we should also understand the nutritional benefits of river clam soup. Since river clam meat is cold in nature and salty in taste, it has the effect of clearing heat, nourishing yin, and diuresis. Therefore, for those suffering from jaundice due to damp-heat or painful urination caused by urinary tract infections, or women with excessive vaginal discharge, river clam meat has certain nutritional benefits.