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There were no modern toys, no parks or shopping malls, but we had a small stream winding through the fields and a treasure trove beneath its waters: clams.
Clam season coincided with our summer vacation. While my mother and I went to the fields, my sisters and I would head to the stream. Bareheaded, sunburnt, we'd carry plastic baskets, plastic bags, or simply our bare hands. Catching clams didn't require any fancy tools, nor was it difficult; it just required patience...
We waded into the stream, scooping up handfuls of sand, feeling each hard object in our palms. When we found a clam, everyone shouted as if they'd struck gold: "Ah! There's a clam!" And then, a burst of laughter echoed across the field.
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| Children excitedly collect clams at Ea Kao Lake (Buon Ma Thuot City). (Illustrative photo ) |
My sister was nicknamed "the clam killer," because all she had to do was guess the current and scoop up a whole nest of clams with her basket. At those times, we would all gather around, cheering and stuffing them into our bags. My tiny hands would frantically scrape through the mud and sand, occasionally finding a few clams, but it was enough to fill me with joy. I would show off my spoils to Mom.
My mother often soaked clams in a basin of rice water, adding a few slices of chili peppers to help them release the mud. My mother knew how to cook many dishes with clams. I loved all her dishes, from clam soup with wild greens, fragrant stir-fried clams with lemongrass and chili, sometimes a bowl of sweet clam porridge, clams served with rice crackers… Clams are not just food; they are a part of my memories.
Nowadays, amidst the bustling city, you might still find clam dishes in upscale restaurants, but no matter how delicious they are, they can never quite capture the sweetness of childhood memories. Because city clams lack the flavor of family, the sun-scorched taste of those afternoons spent catching clams and laughing with friends.
Childhood passes by like a flowing river. But in my heart, there remains a stream that embraced my childhood with golden afternoons, a basket full of clams, and... the infectious laughter that will never fade.
Source: https://baodaklak.vn/xa-hoi/202506/ngot-lanh-vi-hen-tuoi-tho-17904c4/
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