[Food]

[Food] Bajirak (Manila clam, 바지락)

Bajirak (Manila clam, 바지락) is a typical clam that you can buy and eat in Korea with its best season being spring when it usually fattens. Bajirak was usually caught off the sea in the western coast of the Korean peninsula but it doesn't change habitat, and grows and breeds faster than other clams.

Therefore bajirak is the best clam for mass farming and is usually planted and harvested in the western and southern coasts of Korea. Today it's one of the most popular ingredients in Korea because of its taste and cheap price.

Bajirak is very easy to cook and has many recipes. It can be steamed, boiled in wine or beer, put in pasta (a.k.a. Vongole) , stir-fried and kalguksu (Korean-style noodle). Bajirak gives a very refreshing and sea-like flavor (which is not fishy) so it gives a beautiful scent when it's stir-fried with garlic and spring onion to make clam stock.

Just remember to keep them in salty water for 2-3 hours away from sunlight and under cover so that bajirak can feel that they are still at sea at night and will discharge any sand or mud still contained within them :)

After 3 hours, bajirak is good to be cooked in any dish :) It will give you a very fresh and chewy texture with a deep sea-like taste.

Bon Appétit!