My Dad’s Clam Soup

One of the special features about Vietnamese cooking is the extensive use of fresh herbs. If you ever have a chance to visit a market in Vietnam, you will be amazed at the wide varieties available. So many even I sometimes feel a little lost. But no worry, I just have to tell the name or describe what I want to cook, the sellers will give me the exact herbs needed.

However, having a lot of herbs available does not mean you can mix or overuse them altogether. Using herbs is an art that a lot of cuisines have mastered after generations. It is also true for the Vietnamese kitchen. Sinece childhood I have learnt from my parents what to go with what – poached chicken with lime leaves, fish with ginger and galangal, veal with lemongrass, fish with dill etc. Of course there is room for improvements and innovations as long as there is harmony in taste and aroma in the final product.

The soup I feature today is very popular in northern Vietnam during summer. Here, the use of Vietnamese mint (Laksa leaves or rau răm) is a must. You may want to substitute Vietnamese mint with something else, but it won’t be the same. I once showed the picture of this soup to a Vietnamese lady now lives in Europe. She recognized straight away what it was: Clam Soup with Vietnamese Mint. This, for sure, is a classic combination of Viet home-cooking. I love the refreshing taste of clam juice and the spicy hint of Vietnamese mint here. Highly recommended to seafood lovers!

Almost all Vietnamese cooks (especially people from the North) know how to cook this soup. The recipe below, however, is dedicated to my dad since he was the one who taught me the dish. My dad loves and cooks excellent seafood. I miss his food, really!

Clam Soup with Vietnamese Mint (Canh hến nấu rau răm)

This refreshing, lightly sour and very low-fat soup is served as part of a rice meal. It is also excellent over rice noodles. The herbs are added to the hot broth just before serving so their fresh aroma will be released on the table. Serve the dish quickly so you can savor the beauty of herbs at their best.

Ingredients (for 3-4 serves as part of a rice meal)

1kg of clam (or pipi), washed thoroughly

1 tablespoon of oil

1 tomato, diced

Water, as needed

1-2 tablespoons of tamarind concentrate, or to taste

Sea salt, to taste

1 sprig of spring onion (scallion), chopped

1-2 tablespoons of chopped Vietnamese mint (laksa leaves)

Method

1. Soak the clam in water for 1-2 hours before cooking. Wash thoroughly. In Australia, the clams do not have a lot of sand in it, so I can use them almost straight away. However, if the clams carry a lot of sand (like in Vietnam) it is best soaked them with water and 1-2 brushed chili. The spiciness of chili will force the clams to get rid of the sand inside their shells.
2. In a large pot, put in the clam and enough water to just barely cover the surface. Boil and stir briefly until almost clams open up (this should not take longer than 1 min).
3. Discard the clams that do not open. Reserve the clam juice, set aside.
4. Now, using your hand, carefully take out the meat from the opened clams. Discard the shell.
5. In a medium pot, heat the oil and add in tomatoes. Cook & stir occasionally over medium heat, until the tomato is softened. Stir in the clam meat.
6. Add in the reserved clam juice and enough water so you have 4 cups of liquid together. Bring to the boil.
7. Lower the heat. Put in the tamarind concentrate and salt. Check seasoning.
8. Just before serving, add in the chopped onion and Vietnamese mint. Serve immediately.

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As a lot of you may have guessed, this is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging. WHB is a wonderful weekly event where bloggers from all overs the world share their love for herbs, plants, vegies, fruits and flowers. I love WHB and highly recommend it to everyone! This week WHB comes back to its founder, Kalyn. Please check her blog for the exciting round-up.

Tag: Weekend Herb Blogging Vietnamese Food