Korean Clam Stir-Fry (Manila Clams with Butter, Garlic and Chili)
Quick answer
Bajirak bokkeum is a Korean clam stir-fry where purged manila clams are cooked quickly over high heat with butter, garlic, and cheongyang chili.
What makes this special
- Manila clams opened quickly with rice wine, butter, and spicy Cheongyang chili peppers.
- Covered with cheongju steam, clams open quickly while fishiness is driven off
- Clam juice and butter emulsify naturally into a briny sauce without extra steps
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Place 400 g of manila clams in 3 percent salted water and keep them in a dark spot for 2 hours.
- 2 Slice 5 garlic cloves thinly, then cut 2 cheongyang chilies and 2 green onion stalks into small rounds.
- 3 Heat a wide pan over medium heat and melt 30 g of butter completely.
Bajirak bokkeum is a Korean clam stir-fry where purged manila clams are cooked quickly over high heat with butter, garlic, and cheongyang chili. Thorough purging in salted water beforehand removes all sand and prevents grit from appearing in the finished dish. Rice wine goes in first with the lid closed, so the alcohol steam helps the clams open rapidly while eliminating any lingering briny or muddy off-notes. Once the shells open, butter is added and emulsifies naturally with the released clam juices, building a salty, savory sauce without any additional effort or thickening agent. Generous sliced garlic infuses the butter sauce with depth as it cooks, and the cheongyang chili introduces a bright, sharp heat that prevents the richness from becoming too heavy. A small measure of soy sauce adjusts the final seasoning, though it must be kept minimal because the clams already contribute their own pronounced salinity. Scallion is tossed in at the very end for a clean, herbal finish before the pan comes off the heat. Total cooking time must stay within three to four minutes: beyond that window, the clam meat contracts, toughens, and loses its tender, juicy texture entirely. The sauce left in the pan after eating is intensely concentrated with shellfish flavor and pairs exceptionally well with crusty bread for soaking up every last drop. The dish works equally as a drinking snack alongside beer or as a side with steamed rice, and frozen manila clams produce reliably good results when fresh ones are unavailable.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Place 400 g of manila clams in 3 percent salted water and keep them in a dark spot for 2 hours.
Rinse by rubbing the shells together under running water so loose sand does not end up in the pan.
- 2Heat
Slice 5 garlic cloves thinly, then cut 2 cheongyang chilies and 2 green onion stalks into small rounds.
Keep everything separated and ready, because the stir-fry moves quickly once the clams go in.
- 3Control
Heat a wide pan over medium heat and melt 30 g of butter completely.
Add the sliced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant, stopping before the edges brown or the butter tastes burnt.
- 4Control
Add the purged clams and 2 teaspoons of rice wine, then cover the pan immediately.
Raise the heat to high and steam for 2 to 3 minutes, watching for the shells to open from the alcohol steam.
- 5Season
When most shells have opened, add 1 teaspoon of soy sauce and the sliced cheongyang chilies.
Shake the pan so the clam juices and butter emulsify into a glossy sauce, then toss for only about 20 seconds.
- 6Heat
Add the green onion, toss once more, and turn off the heat right away.
Keep total cooking within 4 minutes so the clam meat stays tender, and discard any clams that remain closed.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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