Best Way To Cook Small Clams Known As Unnok

Unnok soup

What is unnok? It is a kind of edible small clam commonly found in the shallow and sandy part of the freshwater river or in saline part of the beach where the freshwater and saltwater meets. Ilocano call it unnok.

The color of the shells are usually dark with the combination of brown, black, a little bit of yellow and orange. The flesh inside is white. The sizes are more or less half inch and no more than inch in size.

Fishermen and villagers along the shoreline usually gather this kind of shell (including the so called luslusli) through hands. They dig the sands with hands and gather them at around 2 to 5 inches deep.

HOW TO COOK?

Of course there are many ways to enjoy the clams like salad, soup, grill and even making them as salted condiments.

Our best way of cooking is very elementary, so simple anyone can do it.

Of course this after you wash the shells. Put them in a bowl.

In a pan just boil water. Add ginger  desired amount of salt, season it with seasonings, add sliced onions and tomatoes and wait until it boil. You may add some vegetable leaves like pechay.

When it is already boiling, take off from the stove and put the soup in the shells.

The shells will voluntarily open its shell for easy eating.

Enjoy the taste of unnok.