In preparation for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year, I prepared a refreshing cold appetizer recipe. Consider this easy dish a surf clam salad. It is beautiful, celebratory vibrant and easy to make. Pair this Hokkigai Arctic Surf Clams with Ginger and Scallion Cold Appetizer with a Spicy Soy Dipping Sauce 薑蔥北極貝冷盤 辣椒豉油 for a satisfying finish! Add White Cockle Clams for an added layer of sweet ocean umami flavour.
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Jump to:
- What Does Arctic Surf Clams Taste Like
- Arctic Surf Clams Health Benefits
- Where To Buy Arctic Surf Clams
- Clearwater Arctic Surf Clams
- Where Are Clearwater Arctic Surf Clams Harvested?
- Ingredients You Will Need To Make Clam Salad
- How To Prepare Arctic Surf Clams and Cockle Clams
- How To Prepare Hokkigai Cold Appetizer 薑蔥北極貝冷盤
- How to Prepare Spicy Soy Dipping Sauce 辣椒豉油食谱
- Chinese Lunar New Year Symbolism
- Other Chinese Surf Clam Recipe
- What To Serve With Surf Clams
- HOKKIGAI ARCTIC SURF CLAMS WITH GINGER AND SCALLIONS COLD APPETIZER 薑蔥北極貝冷盤食譜
What Does Arctic Surf Clams Taste Like
Hokkigai Arctic Surf Clams has a distinguished taste, meaty texture, mild aroma, and sweet flavour.
This giant clam has a beautiful rose white coloration and a juicy texture perfect for cold applications in Asian cuisine.
Chilled Arctic surf clams have a sweeter taste which is fantastic served as surf clam sashimi. Most sushi restaurants offer hokkigai nigiri sushi or hokkigai sashimi on their high-end sushi menus. I love surf clam sushi, they are soooo tasty!
Both raw surf clams have a soft and firm texture that is super delicious with a slight crunch. They are low in fat and high in protein.
Comparatively, White Cockle Clams are less briny bivalves with an unique texture.
The adductor muscle of the the raw surf clam is soft and can be eaten.
Arctic Surf Clams Health Benefits
Hokkigai clams (spisula solidissima) are a great low fat, high protein choice that is a very nutritious whole food. Surf clams are high in iron, Omega 3 fatty acids.
Where To Buy Arctic Surf Clams
Arctic Surf Clams are available at most major grocery stores and supermarkets.
Clearwater Arctic Surf Clams
I ordered my frozen surf clams and white cockle clams from Clearwater - shop.clearwater.ca.
They offer a wide range of delicious sustainable seafood of the highest quality products.
If you are ordering seafood online for the first time, trust that Clearwater ships high quality, premium wild, MSC-certified products across Canada. Option for contactless delivery for grocery shopping and avoid the disappointment of long lines at supermarkets. Clearwater also sells other eco-certified seafood products online and in major supermarkets.
My Northern clams arrived neatly packaged on the day I requested with an insulated box with ice and a tracking number.
USE MY DISCOUNT CODE “INSTANOMSS10” FOR 10% OFF YOUR CLEARWATER.CA PURCHASE!
Where Are Clearwater Arctic Surf Clams Harvested?
Clearwater harvests the clams miles offshore Bedford, Nova Scotia, in pristine deep open water and cold clear Canadian water.
The Canadian North Atlantic clams come on board the vessel is quickly steamed to loosen the meat (and to lock-in that vibrant colour). The Atlantic surf clam meat is then taken out. Then the live surf clams are immediately flash frozen at sea.
It then goes to the factory to be processed and graded before being shipped worldwide. 98% of is headed to Asia and Japan for the sushi and sashimi market.
Ingredients You Will Need To Make Clam Salad
Hokkigai Arctic Surf Clams
White Cockle Clams
Lime
Green Onions
Ginger
Bird's Eye Red Chilis
Sugar
Vegetable Oil
Steamed Soy Fish Sauce or Light Soy Sauce
How To Prepare Arctic Surf Clams and Cockle Clams
- Simply defrost 400g package of Arctic Surf Clams
- In a large bowl, rinse the red clam under running cold water.
- Slice and cut on the bias into halves and clean off the stomach part. While you can eat the surf clams whole, for better absorption of the spicy dressing it is best to cut the clams in half
- Place the clams and lime slices in ice water for 5 minutes. By placing the clams with lime slices accentuates the faint sweet flavour.
- Remove from water and pat dry.
How To Prepare Hokkigai Cold Appetizer 薑蔥北極貝冷盤
- Julienne green onions and ginger.
- Toss in Northern Surf Clam and Cockle Clams sashimi in a large mixing bowl.
- Lightly drizzle sesame oil. Mix well.
- Plate and set aside.
How to Prepare Spicy Soy Dipping Sauce 辣椒豉油食谱
- Julienne green onions and ginger.
- Finely chop birds eye chilli. Remove seeds if you prefer it to be less spicy.
- Add green onions, ginger, bird's eye chilli, and sugar to a small dipping bowl.
- In a small pot, over medium-high heat, simmer neutral tasting/vegetable oil before smoking. The oil must be hot and cooked.
- Pour cooked oil directly over green onions, ginger and birds eye chilli in the small dipping bowl.
- Add steamed fish soy sauce into the small dipping bowl.
Chinese Lunar New Year Symbolism
Arctic Surf Clams and Cockle Clams are excellent choices for appetizers during the Chinese Lunar New Year. Not only does this cold appetizer come together effortlessly, the radiant colours plays are auspicious to Chinese cultural.
The brilliant red vermilion symbolizes prosperity, good fortune, and happiness! Weaving scallion green throughout also plays on green jade symbolism for harmony, purity and wealth!
We wish everyone a healthy, prosperous, joyful New Year!
Other Chinese Surf Clam Recipe
Hokkigai Arctic Surf Clams Stir Fry with Ginger and Green Onion 薑蔥北極貝小炒
What To Serve With Surf Clams
Vegan Tofu Stir Fry 五彩金銀滿屋豆乾小炒王
5 Minute Air Fryer Bean Curd Sheets with Baby Bok Choy Stir Fry
Easy Instant Pot Braised Chinese Mushrooms
Did you make our Arctic Surf Clam Recipes? I’d love to see how you went with my recipes! Leave a comment below or tag me on instagram @INSTANOMSS #INSTANOMSS
PrintHOKKIGAI ARCTIC SURF CLAMS WITH GINGER AND SCALLIONS COLD APPETIZER 薑蔥北極貝冷盤食譜
In preparation for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year, I prepared a refreshing cold appetizer recipe. Consider this easy dish a surf clam salad. It is beautiful, celebratory vibrant and easy to make. Pair this Hokkigai Arctic Surf Clams with Ginger and Scallion Cold Appetizer with a Spicy Soy Dipping Sauce 薑蔥北極貝冷盤 辣椒豉油 for a satisfying finish! Add White Cockle Clams for an added layer of sweet ocean umami flavour.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Category: appetizer, snack
- Method: Raw, Toss
- Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients
- 400g Arctic Surf Clams (Use my discount code “INSTANOMSS10” for 10% off your Clearwater.ca purchase).
- 400g Cockle Clams
- ½ lime, sliced
- 3 stalks green onions, julienne
- 1 thumb ginger (approximately 2 inches), julienne
- 3 tsp sesame oil
Spicy Soy Dipping Sauce 辣椒豉油
- 2 bird's eye chilli, finely chopped and seeded
- 1 stalks green onions, julienne
- 1 thumb ginger (approximately ½ inch), julienne
- ½ tbsp sugar
- ½C vegetable oil
- ¼C Steamed Fish Soy Sauce (light soy sauce)
Instructions
How To Prepare Arctic Surf Clams & Cockle Clams
- In a large mixing bowl, defrost Arctic Surf Clams under running cold water.
- Slice and cut on the bias into halves and clean off the stomach part.
- Place the clams and lime slices in ice water bath for 5 minutes. Placing the clams with lime slices accentuates the faint sweet flavour.
- Remove from water and pat dry.
How To Prepare Hokkigai Cold Appetizer 薑蔥北極貝冷盤
- Toss in Arctic Surf Clams and Cockle Clams sashimi in a large mixing bowl.
- Add in julienne green onions and ginger.
- Lightly drizzle sesame oil. Mix well.
- Plate and set aside.
How To Prepare Spicy Soy Dipping Sauce 辣椒豉油
- In a small dipping bowl, add julienne green onions, ginger, finely chop birds eye chilli and sugar.
- In a small pot, over medium-high heat, simmer neutral tasting/vegetable oil before smoking. The oil must be hot and cooked.
- Pour cooked oil directly over green onions, ginger and birds eye chilli in the small dipping bowl. You will here a sizzle sound and see bubbles.
- Add steamed fish soy sauce into the small dipping bowl.
- Mix well.
- Serve and Enjoy.
Notes
- You can defrost and prepare clams one day ahead and store in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 74
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 154.5 mg
- Fat: 7.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2.1 g
- Fiber: 0.9 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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MORE SEAFOOD RECIPES:
Hokkigai Arctic Surf Clams Stir Fry with Ginger and Scallions 薑蔥北極貝小炒食譜
Haddock Scallops Seafood Fennel Soup
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Amy says
What a delicious recipe! Great for my seafood loving family
swathi says
Love this clams with ginger scallions. great dish
Marina Shalneva says
What a fantastic dish! I love seafood
Amy Liu Dong says
Oh my, this looks so delicious and very yummy! Plus it's a healthy meal for everyone to enjoy! Loved it!
Liz Berg says
Such a yummy starter!! And the dipping sauce was exquisite!! A wonderful pairing.
Stine Mari says
Such a great appetizer. So many interesting flavors going on!
Nora says
Such an amazing appetizer! It turned out perfectly! Everyone loved it!
Kyleigh says
These are delicious! I love the dipping sauce!
Agnieszka says
I've never heard of Clearwater but I really like surf clams. Will definitely try this dish! Sounds delicious.
Michelle says
Great addition to our app menu. We love a good appetizer and this one did not disappoint!
Jeannie says
I like the addition of ginger in this clam recipe it gives a nice taste, I'm currently adding ginger in all my recipes so this is perfect.
Sara says
This looks so delicious! I can’t wait to make this for my family. Thank you for sharing!
Mihaela|https://theworldisanoyster.com/ says
fab recipe! as a seafood lover, I could have this every day!
Nancy says
It's a tasty recipe perfect for every day and the holidays!
Rosanna says
Loved this recipe! Thanks so much for sharing it I’ll definitely be making it again
Nancy says
Enjoy all the hokkigai!
Shilpa says
Great recipe. Looks so refreshing and easy to make.
Nancy says
Thanks Shilpa!
Jean Nie says
It looks good and easy to prepare, and the dipping sauce is perfect.
Nancy says
The dipping sauce is almost the best part!
Sam says
Such a wonderful recipe! Very delicious and much enjoyed. Thanks!
Jessica says
I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Nancy says
Happy feasting!
AmyG says
What a great idea for a salad. I'm always looking for different combinations to have for lunch. Thanks for the idea!
Nancy says
wow that's fancy for lunch! can i come over?
Terri says
Love how unique and fresh this recipe is, as well as the symbolism for Chinese New Year!
Nancy says
So happy you like it!!
Kristen says
i LOVE surf clams, it's my guilty pleasure when i get sushi. But I would never have known where to get them if it wasn't for this post. Thank you so much for sharing your source. I can't wait to order some and make this appy asap.
Nancy says
It's one of my favourite sushi too!! Now the secret is out! Hope you enjoy sushi at home 🙂
Sabrina says
This is so fresh and delicious! I love arctic surf clams but didn’t know where to get them besides the restaurant. Thanks!
Nancy says
Hi Sabrina! I highly recommend ordering from Clearwater. Their products are super fresh and when its shipped direct from source, it's always fresher than buying from third party.
Vanessa says
I love an easy appetizer and fresh seafood is always so delicious. Thanks for the recipe idea!
Nancy says
It's a great way to start the meal and no one even knows it is that simple to make!
Bernice Hill says
Nancy! I absolutely LOVE surf clams and I had no idea they are harvested off the coast of Nova Scotia. There's just something about their awesome chewy texture that I adore. I always order them with sushi if I can but I'm definitely going to look into ordering some directly. Thanks for this really informative post.
Nancy says
Definitely give Clearwater a try! Their seafood is super fresh and best delivered straight to your door!