Hamaguri

Clams are one of the oldest foods in Japan as is evident from the remains of the shells found in all the prehistoric settlements excavated. They are still a very important ingredient, and many varieties are used for Japanese cooking such as aka-gai (ark shell), asari (Manila clam), tori-gai (cockle), baka-gai or aoyagi (hen clam) and hokki-gai (surf clam). They are all used for sushi and sashimi as well as for all other methods of cooking. Hamaguri (hard clam) is the most common and is in season from winter to early spring. It is grilled (broiled), steamed or simmered in soup still in the shell and is also sometimes used shelled for cooking with rice or in hotpots. Clams should be left in salted water to extract the sand in the shell before cooking. They are available fresh, dried, or cooked in cans.