Name: Malaysian Boiled Cockles with Chili-Lime Dipping Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients: 1 kg fresh cockles, scrubbed; 6 cups water; 3-inch piece fresh ginger, smashed; 4 cloves garlic, smashed; 2 stalks lemongrass, smashed; 2 shallots, peeled and halved; 2 pandan leaves, tied into a knot; 1 tablespoon salt; 8 bird's eye chilies (cili padi), finely chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 teaspoon fish sauce; 2 tablespoons warm water; Pinch of salt

A beloved Malaysian seafood classic, this dish lets the natural briny sweetness of fresh cockles shine through a quick boil in an aromatic ginger, lemongrass, and pandan broth. Served hot with a fiery chili-lime dipping sauce, it is the ultimate companion to steamed rice or a cold drink on a warm afternoon.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time25 mins

Servings4

Yield4 servings

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

175 kcalCalories
2 gFat
0.4 gSaturated Fat
7 gCarbs
1 gFiber
2 gSugar
26 gProtein
900 mgSodium
650 mgPotassium
150 mgCalcium
18 mgIron
22 mgVitamin C
80 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the cockles and broth

1 kg fresh cockles, scrubbed
6 cups water
3-inch piece fresh ginger, smashed
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 stalks lemongrass, smashed
2 shallots, peeled and halved
2 pandan leaves, tied into a knot
1 tablespoon salt

For the chili-lime dipping sauce

8 bird's eye chilies (cili padi), finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons warm water
Pinch of salt

Directions

Soak the cockles in a large bowl of cold salted water for 30 minutes to purge any sand, then drain and rinse them thoroughly under running water.
Discard any cockles with cracked shells or those that remain open when tapped, as they are no longer fresh.
In a large pot, combine the water, smashed ginger, garlic, lemongrass, shallots, pandan leaves, and salt, then bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
Add the cleaned cockles to the boiling aromatic broth and give it one gentle stir to distribute them evenly.
Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, just until all the cockle shells have popped open; do not overcook or the meat will turn rubbery.
While the cockles cook, prepare the dipping sauce by combining the chopped chilies, minced garlic, lime juice, sugar, fish sauce, warm water, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl; stir until the sugar dissolves.
Remove the pot from the heat and transfer the cockles to a wide serving platter, ladling over a little of the fragrant broth.
Discard any cockles that did not open during cooking, as they are unsafe to eat.
Serve immediately while piping hot, with the chili-lime dipping sauce and small bowls of the aromatic broth on the side for sipping.

Cook’s Notes

Always purchase cockles the same day you plan to cook them and keep them refrigerated on a bed of ice until ready to use.
Soaking cockles in salted water mimics their ocean environment and encourages them to expel any grit or sand trapped inside.
Do not boil the cockles for longer than 4 minutes, as the delicate flesh toughens quickly once the shells open.
For a more herbaceous broth, add a handful of fresh Thai basil or Vietnamese coriander at the final minute of boiling.
Leftover broth can be strained and refrigerated for up to 2 days; use it as a base for seafood noodles or fried rice.