Kam Heong Lala (Fragrant Stir-Fried Clams)

Recipe: Kam Heong Lala (Fragrant Stir-Fried Clams)甘香啦啦 / 炒鲜蛤

Serves: 3

Ingredients

1kg fresh clams (live) 5 TBSP oil 80ml water (about 5 TBSP) 1 lime 1 stalk spring onion (chopped into 1" sizes) Spice Paste 1½ to 2 TBSP black bean sauce（黑豆豉酱）(ground type preferable) 1 TBSP soy sauce 1 to 2 tsp. sugar 2 TBSP curry powder (rasam curry powder preferable)

Ingredients A 2 TBSP dried shrimps (rinsed 3 times) 2 TBSP minced garlic 4 TBSP minced shallots 1 piece 2cm size sliced ginger 5 dried chilies (deseeded & rinsed) or ½ to 1 TBSP chili boh Ingredients B (leaves) 15 sprigs curry leaves 3 sprigs kaffir lime leaves or 5 more sprigs curry leaves Garnishing lime wedges spring onion (julienned) a few sprigs of fresh curry leaves

Measurements: tsp. = teaspoon | TBSP = tablespoon

Cleaning Live Clams
Soak live clams in a big pot of clean tap water for 30 minutes to clear out salt and sand store inside them. Lift clams one by one into a colander. Discard the soaking water. Clean the pot and refill with a clean pot of tap water. Return clams to the pot and roughly rub their shells with hands. Lift and scrub each clam to clean any particles or grit from the outside surface. Rinse clams. Discard water in the pot.
Preparation
1. Mince garlic and shallots. Pound dried shrimps with mortar and pestle or finely chop with a knife. Get 1½ TBSP lime juice from a lime. Deseed and rinse dried chilies. Rinse all the leaves. Set aside.	2. Mix all spice paste ingredients in a bowl and set aside.	3. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add a pinch of salt into the water.
4. Add clams and cook on medium high heat until clams ajar or slightly open. Turn off the heat. Transfer clams into a colander and discard water in the pot.	5. Heat 5 TBSP oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add all ingredients A and stir-fry until garlic and shallot turn golden brown.	6. Add ingredients B (curry leaves and kaffir lime leaves). Stir-fry leaves for 30 seconds.
7. Stir in the spice paste. Add water. Combine well.	8. Turn heat to high. Add clams and stir-fry for 3 minutes.	9. Add 1½ TBSP lime juice and chopped spring onion, toss to combine. Cover with lid and cook clams over high heat until fully open (open the lid to check and toss clams occasionally). Adjust the taste with extra lime juice, water or seasonings. Turn off the heat. Transfer kam heong lala into a serving platter. Garnish then serve hot.

Notes

How to choose clams: Healthy live clams are always unbroken and unopened. Ignore the soaking and parboil processes if you are using frozen cooked clams. Thaw frozen clams before use. Clams are cooked when fully opened. Black bean sauce can be replaced by oyster sauce and dark soy sauce to taste. You may remove sliced ginger, dried chilies and the leaves when you transfer kam heong lala to serving platter.