Quang Ninh is not only one of the most famous tourist destinations in the country with beautiful natural scenery but also attracts tourists with its diverse cuisine , many delicious specialties, especially dishes made from fresh seafood.
Among the "famous" seafood of this Northeast sea, we cannot fail to mention the clam - a mollusk related to the clam, but larger in size and considered very nutritious.
Currently, clams are found in the seas of some provinces such as Hai Phong, Nam Dinh , etc., but clams in Quang Ninh are said to have a more fragrant and sweet taste than anywhere else.
Clams look quite similar to clams but have a thicker, more succulent body, a distinctive sweet taste and are more fatty. In particular, clams have a nutritional value far superior to clams and many other seafood (Photo: Tran Thi Huong).
According to locals, sea clams are harvested from the wild from around March to the end of October of the lunar calendar. At this time, the clams are plump, the meat is freshest and sweetest.
However, exploiting this seafood is not easy because they hide deep in the sand, making them very difficult to find, especially in winter. Therefore, fishermen often exploit them in summer and autumn, during low tide.
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Although only about the size of 3 fingertips, the clam costs up to hundreds of thousands of VND/piece and is sought after by "gourmets" (Photo: Remy Mouse, Chao Xiu).
Cockles are also considered a nutritious food. Cockles meat contains all the necessary proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins and minerals for the body.
In addition, clam meat also provides compounds that release sex hormones when absorbed by the body, so it is also one of the dishes that men love and enjoy.
Because they are rare and contain many nutrients, cockles are sold at high prices. Depending on their size, they have different prices, ranging from 750,000 - 1,000,000 VND/kg (8-10 cockles/kg). For smaller ones, about 15 - 20 cockles/kg, the price is 450,000 - 600,000 VND/kg.
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Clams in Quang Ninh are processed into many different dishes such as steamed clams, grilled clams, clam porridge, clam salad, stir-fried clam noodles, clam soup, ... and even clam wine (Photo: Internet).
Although expensive, cockles are still a favorite specialty of many diners, sought after for their delicious flavor and ability to be used to make many rich and nutritious dishes. Among them, the most popular and favorite is cockle porridge.
To have a delicious porridge, people must choose fresh, live cockles with open mouths and no foul smell. After buying the cockles, they are scrubbed, washed, split in half, and the intestines are taken out.
The cockles are cut into bite-sized pieces and stir-fried until cooked, seasoned with fish sauce, pepper, and fried onions. When eating, people put the stir-fried cockles into the porridge or leave the cockles at the bottom of the bowl, add chopped onions and herbs, then ladle hot white porridge on top.
Clam porridge is best eaten hot, with tiny brown dots appearing from the clam's blood. This blood is rich, fragrant, and creamy, while the clam's intestines are crispy, soft, and sweet (Photo: Tam Anh, @Huongbeatric, @trang_89).
Another dish that is simple to prepare but retains the natural flavor of the cockles, loved by many diners, is steamed or grilled cockles. After being cleaned, the cockles are wrapped tightly in foil, do not need seasoning, then steamed or grilled, about 5-7 minutes to enjoy. This dish often appears in parties, weddings in Quang Ninh and is used by people to entertain distinguished guests.
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When steamed or grilled, cockles are usually wrapped to prevent water loss inside. No seasoning is needed and the cockles are cooked for a short time because if overcooked, the cockles will no longer be delicious (Photo: QN sea cockles).
Mussel wine is also a Quang Ninh specialty loved by diners, especially men, and requires a more elaborate preparation process. Mussel blood is located inside the mussel and is dark red. When separating the blood vessel from the mussel body, you must be gentle, not letting the blood vessel break.
Put the gourd blood into a glass cup, pour white wine into the cup, use an egg beater to beat the gourd blood. The gourd blood dissolved in the wine has a light red color, when drunk it has a spicy, sweet taste and a characteristic aroma.
If you have the opportunity to travel to Quang Ninh, visitors can buy clams at traditional seafood markets such as Ha Long market, ... or enjoy this specialty at restaurants, eateries along the coast, in the city center, ...
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