Nov 14, 2011 110 Comments

Japanese Sake-Steamed Clams あさりの酒蒸し

Name: Japanese Clams (Sake Steamed Clams)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: ¾ cup sake; 1 Tbsp ginger ((julienned)); 1.5 lbs Manila Clams/Littleneck Clams ((de-grited, see Notes)); 1 red chili pepper; Freshly ground black pepper; 1 green onion/scallion ((chopped))

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Sake-Steamed Clams made in 10 minutes with just 5 ingredients! Sake brings out amazing flavors from the clams; simplicity at its best!

Today I want to share a popular recipe at Izakaya-style Japanese restaurants, and that is Sake-Steamed Clams, or Asari no Sakamushi (あさりの酒蒸し). It’s super easy and simple with just five ingredients, and you can cook it in 10 minutes!

If you are familiar with Japanese cuisine, you probably know that we rarely use chili peppers as an ingredient. However this dish requires a bit of chili pepper. If you like your food to be spicy, you can definitely add more.

There are many other ways to make sake-steamed clams, such as adding a little bit of butter at the end. This is a wonderful appetizer for a party especially because you can start preparing it after the guests arrive.

The Key for Delicious Sake-Steamed Clams

If you use fresh clams, don’t forget to de-grit (let the clams purge sand and grit) before you cook. I recommend doing this even though the package or fish mongers say “ready to use”. I often taste sand/grit in them, and you don’t want to experience that while eating your delicious clams. You can see my tutorial here.

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Japanese Clams (Sake Steamed Clams)

5 from 15 votes

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Course: Main Course

Servings: 2

Ingredients

¾ cup sake
1 Tbsp ginger (julienned)
1.5 lbs Manila Clams/Littleneck Clams (de-grited, see Notes)
1 red chili pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
1 green onion/scallion (chopped)

Instructions

In a large frying pan, add the sake and ginger and bring it to a boil.
Add the clams and a red chili pepper. Place the lid and steam on high heat for a few minutes until all the clams open.
Remove the lid and add freshly ground black pepper and green onion. Shake the pan to make sure the clams are not over-lapping each other.
Serve with the soup and eat while warm.

Recipe Notes

Manila Clams/Littleneck Clams: How to de-grit, click here.

Prep Time: De-gritting time (1 to 4 hours) is NOT included in prep time.

Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe in your own words and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.

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If you make this recipe, snap a pic and hashtag it #justonecookbook — We love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter!

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: butter, chili, clam, japan, sakeRecipe type: 30 Minutes or Less, Appetizer, Autumn, Beginner, Dinner, Easy, Gluten-Free, Healthy, Lunch, Main Dish, Party Food, Seafood, Soups & Stews, Stovetop

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