How to Make Stir-Fried Razor Clams with Water Spinach (Ốc Móng Tay Xào Rau Muống)

Name: Ốc móng tay xào rau muống
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 3
Cuisine: Việt Nam
Ingredients: Ốc móng tay: 500g; Rau muống: 1 bó; Tỏi: 3 củ; Sả: 5 nhánh; Ớt tươi: 1-2 quả; Nước mắm; Bột ngọt; Bột canh; Hạt tiêu

04 Tháng 09, 2024 • 5 minute read

Ingredients Instruction Tips

Stir-fried razor clams with water spinach is a nutritious dish with a rich, crunchy, and savory flavor. It can be enjoyed with rice or served as a delightful appetizer.

ốc móng tay xào rau muống — Stir-Fried Razor Clams with Water Spinach (Ốc Móng Tay Xào Rau Muống)

Servings: 3

Prep Time: 40 phút

Cook Time: 10 phút

Ingredients

500g razor clams
1 bunch of water spinach
3 garlic bulbs
5 lemongrass stalks
1-2 fresh chilies
Fish sauce
MSG
Salt
Pepper

nguyên liệu làm ốc móng tay xào rau muống — Ingredients

Instructions

Prepare Ingredients

preparing ingredients — Preparing ingredients

Pick the leaves off the water spinach, leaving mostly the stems for stir-frying to keep the dish green, crisp, and not mushy. Soak in salt water, rinse well, and drain.

Peel and finely chop the garlic.

Clean the lemongrass, cut it into sections, and crush it.

Chop the chili finely.

Prepare Razor Clams

For the razor clams, you can soak them in rice water to help expel some of the sand and grit, but don't soak them for too long.

Similar to clams, razor clams contain a lot of sand and dark waste inside, so it's important to remove this to ensure the clams are clean. Rinse again under running water to wash away any remaining dirt.

boiling razor clams — Boil a pot of water, add the lemongrass, and when the water boils, add the razor clams.

razor clams in ice water — Blanch for 30-40 seconds, then transfer the clams immediately to a bowl of ice water to keep them crisp.

separating razor clam meat — Soak for 1-2 minutes, then remove the clams and separate the meat from the shells.

Set the razor clam meat aside in a separate bowl.

Cook Razor Clams and Water Spinach

sautéing garlic and chili — Heat some cooking oil in a pan, and when hot, sauté half of the minced garlic and chili (if you prefer it spicy).

stir-frying razor clam meat — Next, add the razor clam meat to the pan.

Increase the heat, and season with 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, 1/3 teaspoon of salt, and 2 tablespoons of annatto oil for color.

Stir-fry the razor clams over high heat for about 2 minutes, then turn off the heat. Transfer the clams to a separate bowl.

Sauté the remaining minced garlic until fragrant, then add the water spinach and stir-fry quickly.

stir-frying water spinach — Season with a little salt and MSG to keep the water spinach green and flavorful.

Since the razor clams are already well-seasoned, adjust the seasoning when stir-frying the water spinach to avoid over-salting.

stir-frying water spinach and razor clams — When the water spinach is just cooked, add the razor clams back to the pan.

Increase the heat, and stir-fry for another minute, then turn off the heat.

finished dish of stir-fried razor clams with water spinach — Finished dish of stir-fried razor clams with water spinach

Tips & Notes

Here are some tips for making delicious stir-fried razor clams with water spinach, ensuring the clams aren't fishy and the water spinach stays green and crispy:

To reduce the fishy smell, blanch the clams in boiling water with a few lemongrass stalks. The essential oils from the lemongrass help clean the clams and remove any odors.

To keep the clams crunchy, immediately soak them in ice-cold water after blanching. This 'thermal shock' method helps the clam meat firm up quickly, making it crunchy.

To keep the water spinach vibrant green, after sautéing the garlic, add a little water before adding the water spinach, and stir-fry over high heat. Some people prefer to blanch the water spinach first, then soak it in ice water, but this takes more time and can result in overcooking, which makes the water spinach less crisp and more likely to wilt during stir-frying.

Stir-fried razor clams with water spinach

Another important tip for making this dish delicious is selecting fresh razor clams. Look for clams with firm, protruding meat that feel heavy, and avoid those that are soft, slimy, or have broken shells.