Steamed blood clams (akagai garan mushi/akagai no kara mushi) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Shimane Prefecture

Steamed blood clams (akagai garan mushi/akagai no kara mushi)

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Main lore areas

Izumo region
Main ingredients used

Blood clams (salubowgai)

History/origin/related events

The salt water-packed wetlands that sit between fresh and sea water are called brackish lakes. There are 18 such lakes in Japan, and Nakaumi Lake, spanning the border between Shimane and Tottori Prefectures, is one of them.
Among the foodstuffs representative of Nakaumi Lake is the blood clam. The formal name of this clam in Japanese is salubowgai and it is of a different type than what is generally known as a blood clam. Though the two look alike, a salubowgai’s shell has about 32 grooves while a blood clam’s shell has about 42 grooves. The sizes of the two also differ, with the salubowgai being smaller.
In the Kojiki, it was a blood clam that healed the wound of the Hare of Inaba, whose skin had been ripped off.
Until about the third decade of the Showa period (1950s), Nakaumi Lake was number one in Japan for blood clam production. However, because of land reclamation projects and a decrease in water quality, the size of catches there has been decreasing. By the sixth decade of Showa (1980s), the problem had become bad enough that the shipment of clams ceased. The second decade of the Heisei period (2000s) saw advancements in aquaculture, and in Heisei 25 (2013) the shipment of clams was restarted.
In the Izumo region, blood clams are steamed with their shells on and then eaten. This dish in Japanese is called akagai no kara mushi or, locally, akagai garan mushi. There are several theories as to the origin of the word garan. Some say that it is an accented pronunciation of the standard word for shell, kara; others say that it comes from the sound made when shells are washed over a strainer to remove the sand stuck in their grooves, garan garan.
Opportunities and times of eating habits

Steamed blood clams are fondly eaten by locals as a fixture of New Year’s cuisine. In past times, fishing for blood clams in Nakaumi Lake was the primary occupation of fishermen in the winter and spring. Demand from everyday locals was such that fisherman from Daikon Island in Nakaumi Lake would come to sell blood clams daily.
Although catches around the third decade of the Showa period (1950s) amounted to over 1,000 tons, environmental degradation due to land reclamation and polluted water made it impossible to fish for a time. In recent years, resource rehabilitation efforts have made local clams safe to eat once again.
How to eat

To a pot add water, sake, soy sauce, and sugar. When the mixture is boiling, add in the blood clams. If any scum rises, remove it. When the clams have opened and absorbed the flavor, it is time to eat. If simmered too long the clams will become hard, so it is important to cook them quickly. The clams can also be prepared by cooking them directly on a grill.
Efforts for Preservation and Succession

Tourist establishments in Matsue City, which neighbors Nakaumi Lake, offer blood clams either simmered or steamed in sake. The development of processed foods that make use of clams that don’t meet market standards is also underway. Clams cooked together with rice or simmered together with meats and vegetables are offered for sale.

source : Information courtesy of Yu Morii, Standing Director, Shimane Prefecture Association of Cooking Instructors

RECIPE

Ingredients (for 2)

Blood clams (salubowgai) 250g
Broth 400cc
Mirin 40cc
Light soy sauce 40cc

How to cook

1. Wash the blood clams, rubbing them together as you do.
2. Into a pot add the mirin, broth, and soy sauce. Once it is boiling, add all the clams and close the lid. Bring the broth back to a boil, remove the lid, and give the clams a shake. Return the lid to the pot, turn off the heat, and let sit for 30 seconds.
3. Remove the lid and take out the clams whose shells have opened.
4. The broth will be dirty, so do not consume it.

provider : Recipe courtesy of Yu Morii, Standing Director, Shimane Prefecture Association of Cooking Instructors

Recipes vary depending on the region and home.

Contact

Food Cultures Office, Overseas Market Development and Food Cultures Division, Food Industry Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Tel:+81-3-3502-5516

Steamed blood clams (akagai garan mushi/akagai no kara mushi) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Shimane Prefecture