What to do with clams: A comprehensive guide from buying to cooking
As a common seafood, clams are loved for their delicious taste and rich nutrition. However, many people often encounter various problems when handling clams, such as how to select fresh clams, how to clean them, how to cook them, etc. This article will combine the hot topics and hot content on the Internet in the past 10 days to provide you with a detailed guide to processing clams.
1. How to choose fresh clams
Selecting clams is the first and most critical step. Here are a few things to note when choosing clams:
| Main points | Description |
|---|---|
| Shell complete | Choose clams with intact shells and no cracks, which may mean the clam is dead. |
| close tightly | A live clam will quickly close if you tap the shell lightly; if it remains open it may be dead. |
| No peculiar smell | Fresh clams should have a faint smell of sea water. If they have a fishy smell, you should not buy them. |
| Uniform size | Try to choose clams that are evenly sized so they cook more evenly. |
2. How to clean clams
Clams live in mud and sand, and there will inevitably be sand in their bodies, so cleaning them is very important. Here are the steps for cleaning clams:
| steps | Description |
|---|---|
| Soak | Put the clams into clean water, add an appropriate amount of salt (to simulate seawater environment), soak for 2-3 hours, and let the clams spit out the sediment. |
| Change water | Change the water 2-3 times during the soaking process until the water is no longer turbid. |
| scrubbing | Gently scrub the clam shells with a brush to remove surface sediment and impurities. |
| Rinse | Finally rinse with clean water, drain and set aside. |
3. How to cook clams
Clams can be cooked in a variety of ways. Here are a few common cooking methods:
| cooking method | Description |
|---|---|
| Steamed clams | Put the clams into the steamer, add ginger slices and cooking wine, and steam for 5-8 minutes until the clams open. |
| Stir-fried clams | Heat oil in a pan, add minced garlic and shredded ginger and sauté until fragrant, add clams and stir-fry, pour in cooking wine and soy sauce, and stir-fry until clams open. |
| clam chowder | Boil clams with tofu, green vegetables, etc. in soup, add salt and pepper to taste, it is delicious. |
| Baked Clams | Place the clams on a baking sheet, sprinkle with garlic and butter, and grill until the clams open. |
4. Nutritional value of clams
Not only are clams delicious, they are also rich in nutritional value. Here are the main nutrients in clams:
| Nutritional information | Content (per 100g) |
|---|---|
| protein | 10.8 grams |
| fat | 1.2 grams |
| carbohydrates | 2.5g |
| Calcium | 134 mg |
| iron | 5.2 mg |
| zinc | 2.3 mg |
5. How to preserve clams
If not consumed immediately after purchase, clams need to be stored properly to maintain their freshness. Here's how to preserve clams:
| Save method | Description |
|---|---|
| Refrigerated storage | Place the clams in a crisper, cover with a damp cloth, and refrigerate them for 1-2 days. |
| Cryopreservation | Wash the clams and put them in a sealed bag and freeze them. They can be stored for 1 month, but the taste will be slightly worse. |
6. Frequently Asked Questions
Here are frequently asked questions and answers about clam handling:
| question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What to do if the clam doesn't speak? | Clams that do not open their mouths may be dead and are not recommended for consumption. |
| How to get rid of the fishy smell of clams? | Adding ginger slices, cooking wine or white wine during cooking can effectively remove the fishy smell. |
| Can clams be eaten raw? | It is not recommended to eat clams raw as they may contain parasites and bacteria. It is safer to eat them after they are cooked. |
With the above steps and methods, you can easily handle clams and enjoy their delicious taste and rich nutrition. Hopefully this guide will help you get better at clam handling!
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