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Malaysian kam heong clams are a must-try for seafood lovers. In my kam heong lala recipe, the clams are cooked with a delicious mix of garlic, sambal, and curry leaves, making them incredibly flavorful and uniquely delicious.
Malaysian Golden Fragrant Clams
“Kam heong” is a signature Malaysian stir fry style renowned for the fragrance imparted during the cooking process, hence the Cantonese term “kam heong (金香)”, which means “golden fragrance.”
This one-of-a-kind stir frying style incorporates ingredients from Malay, Chinese, and Indian cooking to produce one of the most mouth-watering flavors I have ever experienced.
The main ingredients that give the “kam heong” dish its unique taste are fiery bird’s eye chilies, aromatic curry leaves, crispy bits of dried shrimp, and savory curry powder. Stir frying these ingredients together creates the signature Kam Heong sauce, which pairs well with chicken, crab, squid, shrimp, and especially clams.
Kam heong clams (金香拉拉), also known as kam heong lala in Malaysia, is one of the most popular hawker creations, or “Dai Pai Dong” (大排档) in Cantonese, meaning “open-air food stall.”
I have cooked many styles of clam dishes, such as Thai clams, Taiwanese-style Clams, and Japanese Steamed Clams, but this Malaysian stir fried clams is by far my favorite.
Best Kam Heong Lala Recipe
My authentic kam heong lala recipe is both quick and easy, taking just 4 simple steps and under 30 minutes, so you’ll be able to enjoy these fragrant and spicy Malaysian stir fried clams in no time.
The magic happens with the kam heong sauce, which blends fiery bird’s eye chilies, aromatic curry leaves, crispy dried shrimp, and savory curry powder to create a mouth-watering flavor that’s hard to resist.
This dish is perfect for impressing guests or treating yourself to a delicious meal without spending hours in the kitchen!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Authentic flavor: This recipe nails the real kam heong taste with its awesome mix of spices and fresh ingredients. You’ll get that authentic, mouthwatering flavor you’d find in a traditional Malaysian dish!
- Quick and easy. It’s super straightforward with just 4 simple steps, making it perfect even for beginners!
- Fast cooking. You’ll have a tasty meal ready in no time. The clams cook quickly, so you get to enjoy a fantastic dish without hanging out in the kitchen all day.
- One-pan wonder. Everything cooks up in just one pan, making cleanup a breeze and letting you focus on enjoying your delicious golden fragrant clams.
Kam Heong Clams Recipe Ingredients
This Malaysian stir fried clams recipe calls for the following ingredients:
- Fresh clams – I used Manila clams in this recipe. You may use any hard-shelled clams you like.
- Sambal – Check out my sambal recipe. You can make the sambal in advance; keep it in the fridge and use it to prepare a variety of dishes such as sambal udang, sambal asparagus, and sambal telur.
- Dried shrimp – Adds a crunchy texture and a salty, umami flavor that complements the clams.
- Curry leaves – Gives the dish its signature fragrance with a unique, fresh flavor and a hint of citrus.
- Curry Powder (optional) – These days, most hot stir-fry stalls (choo char/tze char) in Malaysia adds curry powder to the kam heong sauce. The ingredient is optional, you may add or skip curry powder in the sauce.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
How To Make Kam Heong Clams
Step 1. Clean and rinse the clams thoroughly, scrubbing their surfaces, and then set them aside.
Step 2. Heat oil in a wok. Add garlic and stir fry until aromatic (but not browned), then add the sambal, dried shrimp, chilies, curry leaves, and curry powder (if using). Continue to cook until fragrant.
Step 3. Add the clams and stir to combine them well with the other ingredients. Then add the oyster sauce, sweet soy sauce, sugar, and Shaoxing wine. Cover the wok and let the clams cook until they open.
Step 4. Remove the wok cover, give the clams a quick stir, then dish them out and serve immediately with steamed white rice.
Helpful Tips For Home Cooks
- Make sure to use fresh clams for the best taste. Soak them in salt water for about 20 minutes to get rid of any sand.
- Use high heat to stir fry the ingredients quickly. This helps keep the flavors and textures just right.
- Don’t burn the garlic, sambal, dried shrimp, and curry leaves mixture. Stir fry them until they smell aromatic.
- Clams cook really fast. Once they open, they’re done. Overcooking can make them tough.
- Toss any clams that didn’t open after cooking. They might not be safe to eat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fresh clams are best, but if you can’t get them, frozen clams work too. Just thaw and clean them well before cooking.
You can clean and soak the clams a few hours ahead of time, but cook them just before serving for the best texture and flavor.
You can add more or less chilies or sambal to make it as spicy as you like.
Yes, this sauce is versatile and works great with chicken, prawn, squid, or even tofu.
Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
This recipe is only 224 calories per serving.
What To Serve With This Recipe
This clam dish is best served with steamed rice. For a Malaysian-style dinner at home, pair it with the following dishes.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
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Kam Heong Clams
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs (700g) Manila clams
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 3 – 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 1/2 tablespoons sambal
- 1 tablespoon dried shrimp, soaked in water, drained and minced
- 1 fresh red chili, sliced
- 2 Thai chilies, smashed , bird's eye chilies
- 1/4 cup curry leaves, stems removed
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon meat or seafood curry powder, optional
Instructions
- Rinse the clams, soak them in salted water for 20-30 minutes, then scrub the shells with your hands or a brush. Rinse thoroughly under cold running water and discard any cracked or damaged clams.
- Heat oil in a wok. Add garlic and stir fry until aromatic (but not browned), then add the sambal, dried shrimp, chilies, curry leaves, and curry powder (if using). Continue to cook until fragrant.
- Add the clams and stir to combine them well with the other ingredients. Then add the oyster sauce, sweet soy sauce, sugar, and Shaoxing wine. Cover the wok and let the clams cook until they open.
- Remove the wok cover, give the clams a quick stir, then dish them out and serve immediately with steamed white rice.
Video
Notes
- These days, most hot stir-fry stalls (choo char/tze char) in Malaysia adds curry powder to the kam heong sauce. The ingredient is optional, you may add or skip curry powder in the sauce.
- Make sure to use fresh clams for the best taste. Soak them in salt water for about 20 minutes to get rid of any sand.
- Use high heat to stir fry the ingredients quickly. This helps keep the flavors and textures just right.
- Don’t burn the garlic, sambal, dried shrimp, and curry leaves mixture. Stir fry them until they smell aromatic.
- Clams cook really fast. Once they open, they’re done. Overcooking can make them tough.
- Toss any clams that didn’t open after cooking. They might not be safe to eat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi, is soybean paste tauchu? If yes, I understand that there is sweet, spicy or salty tauchu. Which one should I use? Thank you.
Salty taucu.
Hi! About the chilli just chop will do? Or its better put into food processor to make it into paste m puree? Thanks!
Hello,
Can I replace Shaoxing wine with anything else halal?
You can skip it.