Lala (Clam) Soup - A Spicier Take!

Lala Clam Soup

Lala, the Asian soft-shelled clam - one of my favourite seafood. I've often wondered how it got its name..just as hubby's often wondered what isn't my favourite food. Aahh.. I am so easy to please, food-wise.

If I had to use a song to describe this soup, it would be Kylie Minogue's ♫ La la la la lalala la ..can't get you out of my head ♪ for obvious cheesy reasons.

Lala clams cooked in a ginger based soup isn't something new but it is exciting on the taste buds. Ginger is often used to cover up that "fishy smell" of seafood. In this recipe, it also compliments the soup with a more robust flavour.

I  would say that this soup has a deep gingery, sweetish and spicy taste to it. The spiciness comes mainly from the chili and ginger. 

It's a simple recipe, using ingredients commonly found in Malaysian supermarkets.
 

Ingredients:
- 160g lala clams
- 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 2 thumbs fresh ginger (julienned)
- 2 pc black fungus - medium variety (soak until soft - about 30 minutes, remove woody part and slice if you wish. I left it whole)
- 1 tbsp dried wolfberries or more (soak in water until soft - about 5 minutes)
- 5 green bird's eye chilies (seeded and sliced in half)
- 5 medium grey oyster mushrooms (halved)
- 1.5L water
- 1 stalk coriander (chopped, for garnishing)
- Cooking oil
- Salt and white pepper to taste

The Ingredients

How-to:
1) Heat pot with oil and saute the garlic until lightly browned.Then, add the ginger and green chilies. Stir it about and add water. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

2) Allow the water to boil for just awhile longer to get that ginger taste out before adding the black fungus, mushrooms, wolfberries and lala clams.

3) Once all the ingredients have been added into the pot, let it cook for a few minutes further. Taste, season accordingly and it's done!

4) Serve garnished with coriander.

There she boils..

There you have it - lala clams in hot, hot soup! Prepare to tissue it out.

Lala Clam Soup - Hot stuff!