← Nouns Cooking · Malaysian & Singaporean

Ingredients

• 1 kg live clams (lala), scrubbed and purged
• 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp Butter (optional)
• 30 g Dried shrimp, soaked and finely chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 5 Shallot, chopped
• 1 Lemongrass, white part, finely sliced
• 3 sprigs Curry leaves, leaves picked
• 3 Bird's eye chilli, chopped
• 1 tbsp meat or fish curry powder
• 1 tbsp Oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 tsp Dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (optional)
• 60 ml Water

Method

1. Bring a pot of water to the boil, drop in the clams and blanch for 1 minute, just until they start to open. Drain at once, discarding any that stay tightly shut after cooking.
2. Heat the oil and butter in a wok over medium heat. Fry the dried shrimp for 1–2 min until crisp and fragrant.
3. Add the garlic, shallots, lemongrass, curry leaves and chillies and fry for 2 min until golden. Stir in the curry powder and fry for 30 seconds without burning.
4. Add the oyster sauce, both soy sauces, sugar and water and bubble into a thick paste.
5. Turn the heat to high, add the clams and wine (if using) and toss for 2–3 min until fully open and coated. Serve at once.

Tips

• Purge clams in salted water for 30 minutes before cooking so they spit out their sand.
• Contains molluscs, shellfish, soy and wheat. The same sauce makes famous kam heong crab or prawns.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Huang Kitchen Seasaltwithfood