Equipment
Ingredients
Seafood
- 1500 g littleneck clams, scrubbed and purged
Aromatics & Vegetables
- 2 poblano peppers, seeded and small diced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 15 g fresh ginger, grated
- 1 lemongrass stalk, bruised
Broth
- 15 ml coconut oil
- 400 ml full-fat coconut milk, canned
- 15 ml fish sauce
- 60 ml vegetable broth or water
Garnish
- 1 lime, juiced
- 15 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Place the scrubbed clams in a large bowl of cold salted water for 20 minutes to purge any sand. Discard any clams that have broken shells or do not close when tapped.
Heat the coconut oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced poblano peppers and shallots. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Add the minced garlic, grated ginger, and bruised lemongrass. Stir constantly for 1 minute until aromatic, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Pour in the coconut milk, vegetable broth (or water), and fish sauce. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Do not let it boil vigorously or the coconut milk may split.
Increase heat to medium-high. Add the drained clams to the pot. Cover immediately with a tight-fitting lid and steam for 6-8 minutes, or until the clams have opened.
Remove from heat. Discard any clams that did not open. Remove the lemongrass stalk. Stir in the lime juice and half the chopped cilantro.
Ladle the clams and broth into bowls. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Serve with crusty baguette, sourdough, or jasmine rice to soak up the flavorful coconut broth.
- For extra heat, add a sliced serrano or Thai bird chili along with the poblano peppers.
- When selecting clams, they should smell like the ocean, not fishy, and their shells should be tightly closed (or close when tapped).
- If using canned coconut milk, shake the can vigorously before opening to incorporate the cream and liquid.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Remove clam meat from shells and store in the broth to prevent drying out.
Reheating: Gently warm on the stove over low heat just until heated through; do not boil.
