Last Updated on September 7, 2020 by Simon Fan
Clams and noodles make a good match in cooking, for an obvious reason: the umami-rich clam juice released during cooking is readily absorbed by the noodles, creating a beautiful harmony of flavors.
That’s why Italian spaghetti alle vongole never fails to impress, and Spanish fideo con almejas always makes you crave for more.
The same can be said for this light and tasty dish I’m sharing with you here, made with clams, cellophane noodles, and tomatoes.
Cellophane noodles, or fensi (粉丝) in Mandarin, have impressive absorbent quality. With little taste by themselves, they pick up flavors from the ingredients they’re cooked with. Although they can be made from a variety of starches, my favorite ones are made from mung bean starch. You can find them at most Asian grocery stores and the best ones bear the name Long Kou Fensi (龙口粉丝), named after the port city Long Kou in Shandong Province. Off-white and opaque in their dried form, they turn translucent and shiny when rehydrated and cooked, hence the name “cellophane.”
In Chinese cooking, cellophane noodles are often paired with meat or seafood in stir-fries, braises, and soup dishes. They can also be chopped up and used in dumpling fillings because they help create a light and soft texture. One of the most famous Chinese dishes using cellophane noodles is Ants climbing a tree.
Outside China, cellophane noodles are used in other Asian cuisines as well, though the varieties used are often made from other starches such as sweet potato or arrowroot starch.
Clams with cellophane noodles and cherry tomatoes
Serves 2
Ingredients
3 oz (85 g) cellophane noodles, preferably made from mung bean starch
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 scallion, white part thinly sliced crosswise and green part thinly sliced diagonally
1-inch (2.5 cm) piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
½ cup (120 ml) water
1 lb (450 g) small-sized clams (such as Manila clams) or cockles, scrubbed and cleaned
5 oz (140 g) cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on the size
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Directions
- Rehydrate the cellophane noodles in boiling water for about 10 minutes or in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain well.
- Place a wok or skillet over high heat until hot, then swirl in the oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the scallion white and ginger, and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Add the wine, water, and clams. Cover and cook, shaking the wok frequently, until the clams are open, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the clams to a plate and discard any unopened ones. Strain the clam juice into a bowl.
- Rinse the wok and dry it with a clean towel. Add the clam juice to the wok and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the cellophane noodles and cook until they have absorbed most of the liquid, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and clams, and stir and cook until the tomatoes are heated through and the flavors are well combined, about 30 seconds. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with the scallion green and serve right away.
