Since falling in love with Nghêu Hấp (Vietnamese steamed clams with lemongrass and basil) in Da Nang, I’ve been eager to replicate that delicious memory at home.
“Nghêu” means shellfish and “Hấp” means steamed. I had my first taste of this delightful dish at Tucana Restaurant and it was sooooo delicious, we went back for a pot every day throughout our 4D3N stay in Da Nang.
So here’s my first attempt at Nghêu Hấp and I’m posting my recipe here because, not to toot my own horn, it turned out really well. I fell off my chair at how good it tasted!
INGREDIENTS
500g Fresh Clams (also known as “lala” in Singapore)
50g Ginger (sliced)
3 Stalks of Lemongrass
150ml Coconut Water
150ml Water
2 Green Chillies
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 Tablespoon of Fish Sauce
Dash of Pepper
Basil and Mint (amount according to preference)
Fresh clams, lemongrass, small green chilli, garlic and ginger surrounded by a profusion of sweet basil and mint leaves.
PREPARATION & COOKING
1. Wash clams in clean water and soak them in the water for about 30 minutes.
2. Rinse the lemongrass, peel the garlic, slice and de-seed the green chillies, and peel and slice a small nose of ginger.
3. Split / crush the lemongrass, garlic and chilli by smashing them with the flat side of a cleaver. I don’t have a cleaver so I split them with a knife sharpening block.
Lemongrass, garlic, and green chilli all smashed up with slices of ginger placed at the bottom of a medium-sized ceramic pot. Ceramic or otherwise, the pot must be suitable for cooking with direct fire. Add coconut water and water (about 300ml) to just cover all the base ingredients and bring to a boil.
4. Line the crushed items (lemongrass, garlic and chillies) and ginger at the base of a pot.
5. Pour in the coconut water and water (total of 300ml) into the pot, cover it and bring to a boil for 15 minutes.
6. Add in the tablespoon of fish sauce and dash of pepper.
7. Add in the clams and turn to low fire. Cover the lid and simmer. Although the dish says “steamed clams”, it is actually boiled clams.
8. Boil the clams for about eight minutes and turn off the fire. Then open the lid of the pot and add the basil and mint leaves. Cover the pot with the lid again and wait for about 3 minutes.
9. The clams would absorb the aroma of the base ingredients while getting infused with the fragrance of the herbs.
10. Now, open the lid and serve.
My home-cooked version of the Vietnamese Steamed Clams (Nghêu Hấp). Total preparation and cooking time is about 30 minutes. The outcome may not be Instagram perfect, but it is super yums nonetheless. Success! 
Nghêu Hấp has a delicate flavor where the steamed clams hint lightly of a fresh sea’s harvest with a refreshing note of earthy herbs. The light broth steeped with the essence of all the ingredients is where the magic is embodied in this dish.
Leave no drop un-savoured!
