Hue to Da Nang Jeep Tour with Hai Van Pass & Coastal Wonders

Ingredients & How to Make Clam Porridge (Chao Ngheu)

The clam porridge at Hoi An, particularly An Bang Beach, is made of rice (gao), clams (con ngheu), mung beans (hat dau xanh), fried shallot, black pepper.

The pork bones are washed carefully by tap water, after buying them from local markets in the early morning. Then, put them into a large pot and fill it with fresh water (with/without spices, depending on eateries). To have a delicious broth, the people in Hoi An cook the bones slowly for a couple of hours. The clam porridge is served in late afternoon/evening, therefore the makers will need to prepare the broth right in the morning of the same day.

Clams in Hoi An style clam porridge are not cooked too much or with any spices. Local makers aim to keep the freshness and sweetness of clams. They buy living clams from fishermen who collect them in nearby Co Co/De Vong River (the season is from March to September). At home, they soak these clams in a fresh water pot for at least 1/2 day (better if do longer), to allow clams to spit out soils and grass. In Vietnam, Vietnamese people often use chilli or some other plants, to let them open their mouths quicker. After the clams are clean, local people boil them for a while, and then pick up their meat by hand. In Hoi An, these clam meats are put inside a tight box, to keep them warm for a long time. The boiling water left is continued using to cook with the rice later (mixed with pork bone broth).

The rice to cook the clam porridge is bought at local markets. People must use ‘rice to make porridge’, instead of common rice that is steamed and served in Vietnamese daily meals or fried rice dishes. Within the delta of Thu Bon River, Hoi An has rice fields in the north, east and south sides. See more information & details

Clam porridge at Hoi An has fried shallots as topping. To have the best fried shallots, local people will make it by themselves. Firstly, they buy shallots from fresh markets (if possible, from farmers in Ly Son Island or ‘Kingdom of Garlics and Onions’), and then peel their dried skins. Before frying, they thinly slice the shallots.

Ground black pepper (hat tieu xay) is bought at local markets; It originates from farms in mountains of the Annamite Range; In recent year, Vietnam is one of the largest pepper producer in the world;