Akagai Garanmushi Shell-Steamed Clams

Name: Akagai Garanmushi Shell-Steamed Clams
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 28 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: live sarubogai clams 250 g; dashi stock 400 ml; mirin 40 ml; light soy sauce 40 ml

Quick answer

Total time: 28 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 4

About this dish

Sarubogai, the small ark clams that Izumo in Shimane calls akagai, are steamed briefly in their shells with dashi, mirin, and light soy sauce for the New Year table.

They are a separate, smaller species from the ark shell usually sold as akagai, with fewer ribs on the shell, and were once a signature of the brackish Nakaumi lagoon. Short cooking keeps the meat sweet and moist. Any clam that never opens is discarded, and the cloudy cooking liquid stays in the pot.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

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Instructions

5 steps

1

Discard cracked clams or any with an abnormal odor.

Submerge 250g sarubogai in cold water, rub the shells together, change the water until no sand or mud leaves the grooves, and drain.
2

Combine 400ml dashi, 40ml mirin, and 40ml light soy sauce in a wide pot that holds the clams in one layer.

Bring to a full boil over high heat.
3

Add all the washed clams at once and cover immediately.

When the liquid returns to a boil, uncover, hold the handles, shake the pot side to side two or three times, and cover again.
4

Turn off the heat immediately and leave covered for exactly 30 seconds.

Uncover and transfer opened clams first with clean tongs, removing each newly opened clam without further cooking.
5

Discard any clam still closed after cooking.

Do not pour the cloudy liquid containing sand and impurities onto the plate; divide the shell-on clams between two servings while warm.