It’s going to be the year of Horse in a few more days, and like so many Chinese families, reunion dinner is on the menu. So are you going to just watch your mom prepare everything? or are you going to be contributing at the kitchen and come up with at least a dish like a good filial son or daughter should?

Well, if you’re the latter and lacks in the finer skills in front of the stove, here’s a simple lala recipe you can follow that just might make your mom proud.

ingredients are lala, garlic, ginger, chili padi
ingredients are lala, garlic, ginger, chili padi

This is a lala (or any clams) dish with garlic, ginger, and chili padi. Takes less than 20 minutes from start to finish, and is also one of the cheapest seafood dishes you can come up with especially during CNY season.

Here are the ingredients:

  • 1 big bowl of lala/clams
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 1 inch ginger, stripes
  • 6-10 chili padi, chopped
  • 5 tablespoon cooking oil

fry till the shells are opened, wise to steam it a bit too
fry till the shells are opened, wise to steam it a bit too

cooking instructions:

  • soak lala/clam in salt water for 30 minutes, rinse
  • heat up cooking oil and fry ginger & garlic till fragrant
  • add in lala/clam
  • add chili padi
  • fry till all shellfish are opened, you can use a lid to cover the pot for steaming effect
  • ready to serve

lala with chili padi and garlic
lala with chili padi and garlic

This is a rather simple and fail proof dish, you can also spice it up by adding some Chinese cooking wine or soup stock to give it a more fragrant flavor.

Click for simple recipes from yours truly, and Happy CNY.

KY cooks – Lala with Chili Padi and Garlic
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10 thoughts on “KY cooks – Lala with Chili Padi and Garlic

    • January 28, 2014 at 3:30 pm
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      Sean: ya, just that chopping them is a pain.

      Reply
  • January 28, 2014 at 5:07 pm
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    No lala for us but we’ve lokan and I’ve bamboo clams too. Yet to decide how to cook those. đŸ˜‰

    Reply
    • January 28, 2014 at 9:55 pm
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      suituapui: haha, good luck!

      Reply
  • January 29, 2014 at 1:00 am
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    I will try your recipe since I only one with black bean sauce and green onion and ginger. Cantonese style like one mom make for all at home.

    Reply
    • January 29, 2014 at 9:20 am
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      Vickie: those sounds delicious too

      Reply
  • January 29, 2014 at 10:22 am
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    Lala! Lala! Lala! Your recipe is good, I would add fermented bean sauce and a splash of rice wine. Hope you will a great reunion dinner!

    Reply
    • January 29, 2014 at 10:57 am
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      Meng: that sounds like a nice addition! Happy CNY!

      Reply

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