Spicy Thai-Style Steamed Clams Recipe

When it comes to seafood dishes, Spicy Thai-Style Steamed Clams is a must-try, featuring the distinctive flavors of Thai cuisine. The tangy and spicy taste from lemongrass, chili, and kaffir lime leaves, combined with the natural sweetness of the clams, is sure to captivate you from the very first bite.

Spicy Thai-Style Steamed Clams looking delicious

Choosing Quality Ingredients

To achieve the perfect Spicy Thai-Style Steamed Clams, selecting the right ingredients is crucial:

• Fresh clams: Choose clams with tightly closed shells that react strongly when tapped. Opt for larger clams with more meat to enhance the dish’s appeal.
• Lemongrass, chili, kaffir lime leaves: These three ingredients create the dish’s signature flavor. Choose fresh lemongrass, chili according to your desired level of spiciness, and fresh, fragrant kaffir lime leaves.
• Seasonings: Use tamarind or lime juice for tanginess, along with sugar, salt, seasoning powder, and chili sauce.

Selecting fresh clams for cooking

Steps to Follow

Step 1: Cleaning the Clams

• Soak the clams in a diluted salt solution for 1-2 hours to remove sand and dirt. You can add a few slices of chili to the soaking water for better results.
• After soaking, rinse the clams thoroughly with water and let them drain.

Step 2: Preparing the Ingredients

• Lemongrass: Crush and cut into pieces. Finely chop some for sautéing.
• Chili: Finely chop or slice according to preference.
• Kaffir lime leaves: Wash and thinly slice.
• Tamarind: Soak tamarind in warm water, then strain to get the juice.

Step 3: Steaming the Clams

1. Place a pot on the stove, add oil, and sauté the chopped lemongrass and garlic until fragrant.
2. Add tamarind juice, sugar, salt, seasoning powder, and chili sauce, stirring well. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
3. Add the cleaned clams to the pot, stir, and cover tightly. Steam over low heat for 3-5 minutes until the clams open and are cooked.
4. During steaming, you can add chopped chili and kaffir lime leaves to enhance the flavor.

Steaming clams with Thai spicy sauce

Finished Product and Enjoyment

Once the clams are cooked, transfer them to a plate and drizzle with the sauce. Garnish with some chopped cilantro or thinly sliced kaffir lime leaves for added visual appeal. Spicy Thai-Style Steamed Clams are best enjoyed hot, with bread or fresh vegetables on the side.

Finished Spicy Thai-Style Steamed Clams

Tips and Notes

• Avoid over-steaming the clams as the meat can become tough and shrink.
• Adjust the amount of chili and tamarind juice to suit your taste.
• To make the dish more appealing, prepare a dipping sauce with fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, and chopped chili.

Conclusion

With its simple yet creative preparation, Spicy Thai-Style Steamed Clams is a fantastic choice to diversify your family’s menu. Give it a try today and share your results!

Bread dipped in Thai spicy sauce