Equipment
Ingredients
Seafood
- 1500 g littleneck clams, scrubbed and purged
Aromatics & Vegetables
- 2 poblano peppers, seeded and small diced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 15 g fresh ginger, grated
- 1 lemongrass stalk, bruised
Broth
- 15 ml coconut oil
- 400 ml full-fat coconut milk, canned
- 15 ml fish sauce
- 60 ml vegetable broth or water
Garnish
- 1 lime, juiced
- 15 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 1192 kcal
- Protein
- 116 g
- Carbohydrates
- 42 g
- Fat
- 62 g
- Fiber
- 9 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 5027 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 50 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 225 mg
- Potassium
- 1153 mg
- Calcium
- 366 mg
- Iron
- 17.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 241 mg
- Phosphorus
- 1725 mg
- Zinc
- 5.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 836 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 22 mg
- Vitamin E
- 5.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 84.8 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.17 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.32 mg
- Niacin
- 4.4 mg
- Folate
- 79 mcg
- Water
- 787 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the scrubbed clams in a large bowl of cold salted water for 20 minutes to purge any sand. Discard any clams that have broken shells or do not close when tapped.
Heat the coconut oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced poblano peppers and shallots. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Add the minced garlic, grated ginger, and bruised lemongrass. Stir constantly for 1 minute until aromatic, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Pour in the coconut milk, vegetable broth (or water), and fish sauce. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Do not let it boil vigorously or the coconut milk may split.
Increase heat to medium-high. Add the drained clams to the pot. Cover immediately with a tight-fitting lid and steam for 6-8 minutes, or until the clams have opened.
Remove from heat. Discard any clams that did not open. Remove the lemongrass stalk. Stir in the lime juice and half the chopped cilantro.
Ladle the clams and broth into bowls. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Serve with crusty baguette, sourdough, or jasmine rice to soak up the flavorful coconut broth.
- For extra heat, add a sliced serrano or Thai bird chili along with the poblano peppers.
- When selecting clams, they should smell like the ocean, not fishy, and their shells should be tightly closed (or close when tapped).
- If using canned coconut milk, shake the can vigorously before opening to incorporate the cream and liquid.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Remove clam meat from shells and store in the broth to prevent drying out.
Reheating: Gently warm on the stove over low heat just until heated through; do not boil.
Troubleshooting
Clams contain sand or grit
Cause: Insufficient purging time
Fix: Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth before serving, then pour back over clams
Prevention: Soak clams in cold salted water for at least 20 minutes before cooking to help them expel grit
Clams are rubbery
Cause: Overcooking
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Remove clams from heat the moment the majority of shells open
Cultural Context
This dish represents a modern fusion style, marrying the technique of European steamed mussels (moules marinières) with the flavor profile of Southeast Asian coconut curries and the smoky, vegetal notes of Mexican poblano peppers.
