Stuffed Clam Meat

Ramadan  Kareem !!

Ramadan is the most celebrated of all Islamic months. It is the 9th month in the Islamic calendar. Muslims throughout the world fast during Ramadan. After the month is over, muslims celebrate the festival of Eid. During this month, the Muslims fast from pre-dawn to sunset. The fast begins from pre-dawn and then through out the day. As the sun sets, the call of prayers is given which is indication of breaking the fast. Muslims prepare special meals during ramadan. So here I'm posting few malabar style ramadan recipes for you all to try. 

#1  Stuffed Clam

There are many types of clam found all over the world. Some suit steaming, others are opened and served raw (like oysters), others can be used in stews. Here we steamed and stuffed the clam meat with coconut inside the rice balls. Clams are high in many vitamins and minerals including selenium, manganese, vitamin C, B12, copper, phosphorous and riboflavin. Clams have an Amino Acid score of 106,its a complete / high quality protein, essential for building and repairing muscles and tissue. A three ounce of serving of cooked clams, or about 9 small clams, has about 24 milligrams of iron. If you suffer from low iron, eating clam occasionally  will help maintain your iron stores. It contains omega -3 fatty acids. So try to include clams in your diet whenever possible. Here is stuffed clam meat recipe for you all to try.

Ingredients

• Rice Powder 2 cup
• Salt
• Water 2 cup
• Fennel Seeds , 1 tsp. crushed

For Clam Masala

• Clam Meat / Kakka Itachi 1/2 kg 
• Garlic 4 cloves, crushed 
• Ginger 1 medium piece, crushed 
• Shallots 8 nos, sliced / Onion 1 medium size, chopped 
• Curry Leaves 2 sprigs 
• Green Chillies 4 nos, chopped 
• Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp 
• Red Chilli Powder 1 tsp 
• Black Pepper Powder 1/4 tsp 
• Garam Masala Powder 1/2 tsp 
• Coconut 1/2 cup, grated 
• Fennel Seeds 1/4 tsp 
• Coconut Oil


To Fry

• Oil 2 tbsp
• Red Chilli Powder 2 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder a pinch
• Water 
• Salt

Method

Fill a large pot with 1 1/2 to 2 inches of water. Bring water to a boil. Add the clams to the boiling water. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let the clams steam for approximately 6-10 minutes, until the shells open. Remove clams from the pot and let cool enough to handle. Discard any clams that have not opened (if they haven't opened it means they were dead to begin with and should not be eaten).

Remove the clam meat from the clams and clean the clams thoroughly by pinching out the greyish -black grit found inside each clams. Wash it with plenty of water to remove dirt and all. Squeeze the clams to remove water and keep it aside. Add 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp of red chilli powder and salt marinate and keep aside for 20 minutes. Then shallow fry the clams and keep it aside. Crush coconut with fennel seeds and keep it aside. 

Heat oil in a earthen pot or in a pan. Put shallots / onion and saute for few seconds. Add chopped ginger and garlic, saute for few minutes. Add chopped green chilli and 1 sprig of curry leaves and saute well until the shallots begin to brown. Reduce heat and add 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder and 1/4 tsp of black pepper powder saute for few minutes. Add shallow fried clams, salt and crushed coconut and stir well. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tbsp of water and combine well. Cover and cook for few minutes. Stirring occasionally. Open the lid and and stir fry for 1 minute. Add garam masala powder and mix well. Add 1 sprig curry leaves and stir fry for a minute. Put of the flame, clam masala is ready. 

Boil 2 cups of water along with salt and crushed fennel, stir in the rice flour over low flame. stir well and make a stiff paste. Remove from flame and knead to form a soft dough. Now make into big balls. Now flatten it with hand and fill 1 tbsp of clam masala. Pull the edges close and re roll into kebab shape or unnakaya shape. Steam this for 20 to 30 minutes or until it done. 

Take a medium size bowl and mix red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt with little water. Now roll steamed rolls in this chilli batter and shallow fry in oil. Serve with a cup of tea or coffee during breakfast or evening snack. 

NB: You can use prawn meat or mussel meat  for this recipe instead of clam meat. If the mussel meat or prawn meat is big you can crush them after frying and stuff. Here clam meat was very small so I used as it is, didn't crush them. Enjoy cooking..