What regions are the main production areas of clams distributed in?
The clam is a mollusk of the family Mactridae, with the Chinese name "zaselianzai" (variegated clam). It lives on the shallow sea floor and has many varieties such as huage (flower clam), wenge (hard clam) and xishishe (coquina). It is very rich in nutritional value and is produced along the coast of China. It is a unique seafood of coastal cities such as Qingdao, Dalian, Yantai and Weihai. Let us take a look at the production area distribution of clams below!
The production area distribution of clams
The place of origin of the clam is Japan, and it is also distributed along the coasts of the Korean Peninsula, mainland China and Taiwan, China. Hard clams are farmed on the sandy shores along the southwestern coast of Taiwan, China. They mostly inhabit the sandy and muddy bottoms of shallow seas and like to live in areas such as river wetlands with freshwater inflow and intertidal zones. Qingdao's unique seafood is the clam, commonly known as "gala". It is mainly produced in Jiaozhou Bay, inhabiting the muddy sand beach seabed below the middle and lower zones of the intertidal zone, with the largest yield below the low tide line. The depth at which clams inhabit the mud and sand generally does not exceed 2 times their own body length. On the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month after the big tide recedes, people often go to the beach to dig for this seafood to satisfy their cravings, while for large-scale production, clam-digging boats are used to harvest them in deep water.
The variety distribution of clams
1. Huage (flower clam): The flower clam is a treasure among shellfish. It is named for its smooth shell surface covered with beautiful red, brown, black and other colored patterns. It is usually a common name for certain shellfish of the family Veneridae produced in the coastal waters of China. It is a common shellfish seafood on the market, widely distributed in the northern and southern sea areas of China. It grows quickly, has a short farming cycle, strong adaptability and a long survival time out of water. It is an excellent shellfish suitable for artificial high-density farming and is one of China's four major farmed shellfish.
2. Wenge (hard clam): The hard clam is also called liwenge, ganzai, fennao, baizai, etc. It belongs to the shellfish of the family Veneridae under the order Veneroida of the class Bivalvia and is one of the important edible shellfish. Its place of origin is Japan, and it is also distributed along the coasts of the Korean Peninsula, mainland China and Taiwan, China. Hard clams are farmed on the sandy shores along the southwestern coast of Taiwan, China. They mostly inhabit the sandy and muddy bottoms of shallow seas and like to live in areas such as river wetlands with freshwater inflow and intertidal zones. When buying hard clams, it is advisable to choose those with tightly closed shells. You can tap the hard clams against each other; those that produce a crisp sound are fresher.
3. Shage (sand clam): Xishishe, also known as chege, tuchi, shage, etc., is an animal of the family Mactridae. It is widely distributed in the shallow waters of the sea area from India to the Pacific Ocean. The area around Zhanggang in Changle, Fujian, is its famous place of origin, so it is also called "Zhanggang haibang" (Zhanggang sea clam). The individual is relatively large, with a length reaching more than 10 cm. Its flesh is crisp and tender with a sweet and delicious taste. It is a precious shellfish with very high economic value.
How to make clams spit out sand
1. Use peanut oil: Pour seawater or salt water into a container holding clams, then add a few drops of peanut oil to the container holding the clams, and then stir it open with chopsticks so that the oil droplets spread evenly over the water surface. In this way, the water is isolated from the air, and the clams will soon spit out the mud and sand.
2. Use ironware: Put ironware (such as a pair of scissors) into the container holding the clams. Shellfish have the habit of spitting out mud and sand when they smell iron. This can also make the clams spit out sand quickly and well.
3. Soak in salt water: If time permits, you can soak the clams in water with sesame oil and salt added. With this method, there is one thing to pay attention to, namely temperature. The water is best at around 20 degrees Celsius. If you directly use tap water from the faucet, the water temperature is low and the clams are unwilling to open their shells. Soaking with this method for 2 to 3 hours will make the clams spit out a lot of mud and sand.
4. Shake back and forth: Find a larger basin or box with a lid, put the shells in, pour in a little water, just enough to submerge them, and then keep shaking the container back and forth with your hands. Use moderate force, not too much, otherwise the clam shells will break. After shaking for two minutes, the clams will be dizzy and will spit out quite a lot of mud and sand. Wash them with water and shake again. Repeat three times and it will be about done.
5. Blanch in water to remove sand: Blanching is the most direct and thorough method to remove mud and sand from clams. However, if you are making soup with clams, do not use this method, as the umami flavor will be lost. If you are stir-frying clams, you can use it. Put the clams into a pot of boiling water, cover with the lid, and take them out after one minute. Then rinse with water, thoroughly wash away the mud in the flower clams, and drain the water for later use. With this method, the mud and sand can be removed completely.