Soak the kombu in 2 cups (500 ml) of water. Soak the clams in 3% salt water for about 30 minutes to remove any grit.

After purging, drain the clams in a colander and let them sit covered with a damp paper towel for 3 hours. If it's warm, place them in the refrigerator.

Letting the clams rest in the colander increases their umami (succinate) content. Just before cooking, scrub the shells together and rinse with fresh water.

Add sake to a pot and heat to evaporate the alcohol. Once the alcohol has evaporated, add the kombu-infused water and clams. Cook over low heat.

Skim off any foam and gently simmer over very low heat to extract the flavors from the kombu and clams. Once it starts to boil, remove the kombu.

When the first clam opens, turn off the heat, cover, and let steam for 2 minutes. This prevents the clams from overcooking.

After 2 minutes, uncover and add 1 teaspoon of light soy sauce. Taste and add salt as needed.

Place the cooked ramen noodles in a bowl. Strain the soup as you pour it over the noodles, then top with the clams. Sprinkle with green onions. Add butter on top if you like!

Add dried sea lettuce (aosa) as a topping while eating for an extra burst of ocean flavor!

See the video here:

https://youtu.be/16oLRCw7mqk

This recipe was featured on May 23, 2018!

Thank you!