Clams that decorate the Japanese dining table: We'll introduce everything from their characteristics to seasonal and delicious recipes!

Clams live in sandy areas along the Pacific coast and are popular throughout Japan. We'll introduce you to this shellfish, which is deeply rooted in Japanese food culture, in detail, from its characteristics to its delicious cooking methods.

Ecology and characteristics of clams

Clams are bivalves that are commonly found along the Pacific coast from Kyushu to Hokkaido. It lives in shallow sandy areas and is known as a popular shellfish that is often seen during clam digging.

The clam shell is long oval, and the intersecting of thin radial ribs and growth veins create a fabric-like pattern. The color of the shell varies depending on the individual, and varies from white to blue-black.

The unique patterns often differ between the left and right sides, which is a rare feature for wild animals.

Clams need to be especially careful during the spawning season. May and October to November are the height of spawning, and at this time Bergier larvae are born from eggs and swim in the sea.

Young shellfish grow by attaching to the sand, growing to about 2.2cm in six months and about 3cm in one year.

How to choose clams and seasonal clams

Clams can be enjoyed all year round, but they are especially seasonal from winter to spring.

There are some tips for choosing. If it has a shell, choose one with a tightly closed shell. When it is dead, its shell is often not removed. For the case of peeled meat, the shiny ones are fresh.

Recommended recipes using clams

Clams are an essential ingredient in Japanese cuisine. Clams with shells are used as "kara clams" and are soaked in salt water and then spit off the sand, then used as miso soup and soy sauce.

Peel meat can also be used in a variety of dishes, and is also used in "nuta" (sold with green onions, seaweed and vinegared miso), kakiage, stewed tsukuda, steamed sake, chowder, and more.

Fukagawa rice, popular in the downtown area of ​​Tokyo, is a dish in which the peeled meat is cooked into rice, or fried tofu or boiled with green onions and poured over rice.

Stewed clams and Chinese cabbage

• Ingredients: 200g clams (peeled meat), 3 tablespoons green peas, 1 cup dashi, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sake, 1 tablespoon sugar, a little ginger soup
• cooking:
  1. Wash clams with salted water and drain.
  2. Boil the Chinese cabbage and cut into 5cm wide pieces. Thaw the green peas.
  3. Add clams to the pot, pour over sake and simmer. Remove it when the color changes.
  4. Add the dashi and remaining seasonings and bring to a boil, add the Chinese cabbage and simmer for 10 minutes.
  5. Add the green peas and clams, then add the ginger soup and complete the process.

The clams taste great as they are, but by using them in a variety of dishes, you can enjoy their charm even more deeply. The next time you get clams, be sure to use this information.