Stir-Fry Clams with Garlic and Fermented Soybean Paste (Taucu)

Stir-Fry Clams with Garlic and Fermented Soybean Paste a.k.a taucu (豉汁炒花蛤) is a classic Cantonese dish and a favorite one amongst the seafood lovers. Clams are also known as Lala (啦啦) in Malaysia. This dish is not only delicious but also easy to cook. The timing use to cook the clams is very critical, make sure not to overcook the clams, or the texture of the clams will become chewy and rubbery. In Malaysia, a classic homestyle clam recipe is to cook the clams with garlic and fermented soybean sauce (tauco). You can usually buy fresh clams from the wet market, and frozen clams from supermarkets or online seafood sellers. Stir-fry clams cooked in soybean paste are best served with a hot bowl of steamed white rice. Some people also like to enjoy stir-fry clams with beer.

How to Clean the Clams?

Prepare a bowl of water (around 1 liter). Add in 2 tbsp of salt. Pour in the clams. Soak the clams for 20 minutes in fresh water just before cooking. The clams will push out any salt, sand, grit, or any impurities naturally during this time.

Recipe Ingredients

The recipe call for:

Main Ingredients

• 500 gram Clams (Lala)
• 2 Red Chilies
• 2 Small Red Chilies
• 6 gloves Garlic
• 30 gram Ginger
• 6 Shallots

Seasoning

• 2 tbsp Cooking Oil
• 2 tbsp Fermented Soybeans Paste (Taucu)
• 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
• 2 tsp Sugar

How to Cook Stir-Fry Clams with Garlic and Fermented Soybean Paste (Taucu)?

1. Wash the clams, minced the chilies, shallots, and garlic. Cut the ginger into thin strips and cut the small chilies into smaller pieces.
2. Add in 2 tbsp of cooking oil. Put in chilies, shallots, garlic and ginger. Stir-fry it until the fragrant comes out. Add in fermented soybean sauce (taucu). Stir-fry to mix it.
3. Add in oyster sauce and sugar. Stir-fry it for 30 seconds.
4. Add in a bowl of water and bring it to boil.
5. Add the clams and stir-fry it for 2 – 3 minutes.
6. Done and serve immediately.

Video Tutorial