Every time I crave for a simple seafood soup dish, I always think of the Filipino clam soup called tinolang halaan. I love the soothing effect of clam soup and it makes me feel comfortable; it also helps relieve my congestion when I have the cold.
I got the clams packaged in my local grocery store. The clams are usually frozen and secured in an air tight packaging. This means that I am saving a little time because I do not need to clean the clams. Cleaning the clams might sound easy. Well, it is, but you have to wait for a while.
When I buy fresh clams (halaan) in the Philippines, I soak them first in tap water for a few hours. I do this so that clams will voluntarily open themselves and spit-out the sand and other impurities that they have. If you do this, you’ll notice that the bowl with water and clam will be murky towards the end, with sand particles visible.This is my indication that I can start brushing the shelled clams one by one so that I can start to cook. The easiest part is cooking the clams. all I do is boil water and add the ingredients one at a time. It will take me less than 20 minutes to completely cook the clam soup. Quick and easy, isn’t it?
Try this Clam Soup Recipe. Let me know what you think!
Clam Soup Recipe (Tinolang Halaan)
Ingredients
- 1 lb. shell clams packaged
- 1 bunch fresh spinach washed and drained
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced
- 1 thumb ginger julienned
- 3 cups water
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil the water in a stockpot.
- Add the ginger and onion. Cover and continue to boil in medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir-in the clams. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add-in the spinach. Cover and cook for a minute more.
- Sprinkle some salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Transfer to a serving bowl.
- Serve. Share and enjoy!
AJ says
Tried following this recipe to the letter, and it turned out incredibly bland.
Why do you not saute the ginger and onion first? I’m thinking that alone would make this recipe work.
Vanjo Merano says
AJ, thanks for your comment. This clam recipe is intended to be that way. I am using the natural flavor and juice of the clam along with salt and pepper to add some flavor. The result is a mild clam soup without any overpowering taste.
I’m not sure about the outcome that you are expecting, but I agree that it will help if the ginger is sauteed. Sauteeing the onion needs a bit of caution though. We don’t want caramelized onion for this dish. Try to saute the onion for a short period of time using minimum oil. I don’t like clam soups with oil, but that is just my personal preference. Please feel free tweak the recipe to make this dish suitable for you.