Here are my secrets to making this perfect the
first time around:
First,
locate some small, fresh clams, not much larger than an inch (2.2 cm) across.
You want them to be tender enough so that you don’t have to wrestle with them,
either in your mouth or on your plate. You can double the amount of clams, if
you like.
Second,
use a combination of the clam juices and chicken stock to add a vibrant xianwei undertone to the light flavors
of the shellfish and eggs. Strain the clam juice, as there almost always will
be fine sand from the clams in there. Just to be absolutely sure that no grit
sneaks into your dish, let the clam juice cool and settle so that you only have
to deal with the top layer of clear liquid.
Third,
always strain the egg mixture as you pour it into the bowl. This makes the
texture even and smooth, with no wobbly bits sitting around half cooked or
looking weird. Straining your custard makes a world of difference.
Fourth,
opening up the steamer halfway through cools off the custard just a bit so that
the edges don’t become overcooked. What happens is that the interior keeps on
cooking, so this little step helps to even out the texture. Be sure not to
steam the eggs past the point that they have firmed up, as otherwise holes will
form in the custard and the texture will harden. It will still taste good, but
you will no longer have that divine texture.
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| Smallish clams |
If you
don’t like clams, try some fresh mussels or shrimp or cubes of a mild fish in
here. Baby peas would be pretty in here, too, and provide a nice bit of
textural contrast.
The
ginger and ginger oil are my own contributions to this classic. Feel free to
use fried green onions and their oil, toasted sesame oil, or whatever appeals
to you and complements your menu.
Clams in custard
Gélí zhēng dàn 蛤蜊蒸蛋
Shanghai
Serves 4 to 6
12 or so small clams (see headnote)
Water, as needed
¼ cup/15g finely chopped fresh ginger
½ cup/100g peanut or vegetable oil
Unsalted or lightly salted chicken stock, as needed
½ to 1 teaspoon fish sauce
3 large eggs
1. Scrub the clams and place them in a small pan.
Add about an inch of water, cover, and place the pan on high heat. When it
comes to a full boil, lower the heat to medium and simmer the clams covered for
around 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Pluck out any clams that have
already opened and place them in a heatproof bowl. Return the pan to the heat
and continue to simmer the remaining clams for another minute or two, until all
of them have opened up. If any remain shut at this point, be sure and discard
them – do not force them open, as they were dead before they were cooked. Drain
all of the cooking liquid through a very fine meshed strainer into a heatproof
measuring cup. Add just enough chicken stock to make a full cup of liquid. Stir
in the fish sauce to taste.
2. Clean out the saucepan, wipe it very dry, and
place both the ginger and oil in it before setting it over medium heat. Adjust
the heat as needed to maintain a very gentle bubbling around the ginger, as you
want it to slowly release its juices before frying into a toasty brown. Drain
the oil through a clean, dry strainer into a heatproof bowl and reserve the
toasted ginger.
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| Simple perfection |
3. About 5 minutes before serving, set up a steamer
and bring a couple of inches of water to a full boil, then reduce the heat to
medium high. While the steamer is heating up, lightly beat the eggs before
mixing in in the clam juice/chicken stock. Pour the egg mixture through a
strainer into a shallow, heatproof bowl and discard any gelatinous bits caught
in the mesh. Set the bowl in the steamer and steam it over medium-high heat for
3 minutes.
4. Carefully remove the bowl and arrange the clams
in their shells inside the custard. Sprinkle all of the toasted ginger over
them, as well as around 2 tablespoons of the ginger oil. Return the custard to
the steamer and steam it for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the center is
barely set; it will continue to cook in the residual heat, so be very careful
not to overcook it. Serve immediate with a wide spoon.
