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4 eating
Photograph of the finished Freshwater Clam Rice Porridge

Vietnam · Cháo trai

Freshwater Clam Rice Porridge

50 min Hands-on time + 2 hr soaking or marinating first
MediumDifficulty
5 stepsSteps

Method

  1. 1 Soak the clams in rice water for 2 hours to remove all the mud and sand, then rinse the shells clean.
  2. 2 Boil the clams until they open, remove the meat, and discard the black part.
  3. 3 Strain the clam broth until it's very clear, then simmer the rice in that broth.
  4. 4 Sauté the clam meat with fragrant fried shallots, season with fish sauce and pepper.
  5. 5 Ladle the porridge into a bowl, arrange the stir-fried clams on top, and sprinkle with chopped scallions and coriander.

With an appliance

  • Pressure cooker 40 min

    Replace step 3: simmer the rice with the filtered clam broth under high pressure for 12 minutes, then release the pressure naturally for 12 minutes. The clam meat from step 4 is stir-fried separately and only added to the porridge when serving to prevent it from becoming tough.