Vietnamese Style Razor Clams

This dish is inspired by a restaurant in Orange County, California, called “Oc and Lau.” There is always an hour wait at this restaurant. This signature razor clams dish sometimes will run out. Instead of waiting in line for an hour, you can make this dish at home. If you do not have razor clams, use any shellfish (mussels, oysters or other clams). The combination of green onion, fried shallot, and peanut is common in Vietnamese dishes like charbroiled pork vermicelli or baked catfish.

Serves about 3 to 4

Ingredients:

• 10 razors clams (or other shellfish like mussels, oysters, other clams)
• 2 cups peanut
• 2 stalks of green onions, thinly sliced and placed in a heatproof bowl.
• 5 cloves garlic, roughly minced or thinly sliced 
• 1 shallot thin sliced
• Half stick of butter
• sriracha
• garnish: rau ram (Vietnamese cilantro or hot mint)

Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 cup water

Directions:

Roasted Peanuts:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Place peanuts in a sheet pan and cook for 7 minutes. Then shake the tray to brown the other side of the peanuts for another 5 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and let cool. Chop peanuts with a hand chopper (or mortar and pestle) and set aside.

Green Onion Sizzle:

1. While peanuts are roasting, heat canola oil in a pan on high flame, until the oil starts to boil. Then carefully pour the hot oil into the bowl of green onions.

Fried Garlic:

1. Fry minced or sliced garlic on medium heat until golden brown, for about 5 min.
2. Season with salt.

Double Fried Onions:

1. Fry onion on medium heat for 5 minutes.
2. Use a strainer to remove the onions, then raise heat to high.
3. Wait 2 minutes, then toss the onions in again, to fry and crisp up for 20 seconds. (note: keep your eye on the onions, they can burn quickly if not careful)

Razor Clams:

1. Turn the oven to Broil.
2. Clean the clams to remove sand and grit.
3. Pour melted butter and the green onion oil on top of the clams.
4. Broil the clams for 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Transfer to serving platter and set aside to cool while you make the sauce.

The Sauce:

1. Combine oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, water, and cornstarch in a pan.
2. Turn the flame high, heat and stir the sauce until it thickens.

Assemble!!!!!!!

1. Use a spoon to spread the sauce on top of the clams
2. Top the clams with roasted peanuts, the green onions, fried garlic, and double fried onion.
3. Drizzle with sriracha sauce, garnish with rau ram and enjoy!!!

👍 Recipe Source: https://aceofspatula.com/recipe/vietnamese-razor-clams/