Rare specialty worth millions, considered a miracle drug for men in Quang Ninh

Quang Ninh is not only one of the most famous tourist destinations in the country with beautiful natural scenery but also attracts visitors with its diverse cuisine, many delicious specialties, especially dishes made from fresh seafood.

Among the "famous" seafood of this Northeast sea, we cannot fail to mention the clam - a mollusk related to the clam, but larger in size and considered very nutritious.

Currently, clams are found in the seas of some provinces such as Hai Phong, Nam Dinh, etc., but clams in Quang Ninh are said to have a more fragrant and sweet taste than anywhere else.

Cockles look quite similar to clams but have a thicker, more succulent body, a distinctive sweet taste and are more fatty. In particular, cockles have a nutritional value far superior to clams and many other seafood (Photo: Tran Thi Huong).

According to locals, sea cockles are harvested from the wild from around March to the end of October of the lunar calendar. At this time, cockles are plump, fresh and sweetest.

However, exploiting this seafood is not easy because they hide deep in the sand, making them very difficult to find, especially in winter. Therefore, fishermen often exploit them in summer and autumn, during low tide.

Although the size is only about 3 fingertips, the clam costs up to hundreds of thousands of VND/clam and is sought after by "gourmets" (Photo: Remy Mouse, Chao Xiu).

Cockles are also considered a nutritious food. Cockles meat contains all the proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins and minerals necessary for the body.

In addition, clam meat also provides compounds that release sex hormones when absorbed by the body, so it is also one of the dishes that men love and enjoy.

Because they are rare and contain many nutrients, cockles are sold at high prices. Depending on their size, they have different prices, ranging from 750,000 - 1,000,000 VND/kg (8-10 cockles/kg). For smaller ones, about 15 - 20 cockles/kg, the price is 450,000 - 600,000 VND/kg.

Cockles in Quang Ninh are processed into many different dishes such as steamed cockles, grilled cockles, cockle porridge, cockle salad, stir-fried cockle noodles, cockle soup, ... and even cockle wine (Photo: Internet).

Although expensive, cockles are still a favorite specialty of many diners, sought after by many because of their delicious taste and ability to be processed into many rich and nutritious dishes. Among them, the most popular and favorite is cockle porridge.

To have a delicious porridge, people must choose fresh, live cockles with open mouths and no foul odor. After buying the cockles, scrub and wash the shells, split them in half, and take out the intestines inside.

The cockles are cut into bite-sized pieces, stir-fried until cooked, and seasoned with spices such as fish sauce, pepper, and fried onions. When eating, people put the stir-fried cockles into the porridge or leave the cockles at the bottom of the bowl, add chopped onions and herbs, and then ladle hot white porridge on top.

Clam porridge is best eaten hot, with tiny brown dots from the clam's blood. This blood is rich, fragrant, and creamy, while the clam's intestines are crispy, soft, and sweet (Photo: Tam Anh, @Huongbeatric, @trang_89).

Another dish that is simple to prepare but retains the natural flavor of the cockles, loved by many diners, is steamed or grilled cockles. After being cleaned, the cockles are wrapped tightly in foil, do not need seasoning, then steamed or grilled, about 5-7 minutes to enjoy. This dish often appears at parties and weddings in Quang Ninh and is used by people to entertain distinguished guests.

When steamed or grilled, cockles are usually wrapped to prevent water loss inside. They do not need to be seasoned and cooked for a short time because if overcooked, the cockles will no longer taste good (Photo: QN sea cockles).

Mussel wine is also a Quang Ninh specialty loved by diners, especially men, and requires a more elaborate preparation process. Mussel blood is located inside the mussel and is dark red. When separating the blood from the mussel body, you must be gentle, and not let the blood break.

Put the gourd blood in a glass cup, pour white wine into the cup, use an egg beater to beat the gourd blood. The gourd blood dissolved in the wine has a light red color, when drunk it has a spicy, sweet taste and a characteristic aroma.

Wine is considered a miracle drug for men because it has the effect of enhancing vitality in men (Photo: Internet).

If you have the opportunity to travel to Quang Ninh, visitors can buy clams at traditional seafood markets such as Ha Long market, ... or enjoy this specialty at restaurants, eateries along the coast, in the city center, ...

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