The shell comes off easily and smells fresh without odor

Odor-free pigeon mussels/illustrative photo: Gemini AI

Brilio.net – Virgin oysters with their distinctive white shells are always tempting to prepare into various dishes, from Padang sauce, grilled, to simply steamed. However, the main challenge when cooking these shellfish is the sharp fishy smell and the shell which is often very difficult to open once cooked.

If you take the wrong steps when cleaning and boiling it, you can lose your appetite because of the unpleasant aroma. So that the results of your cooking are at the level of a seafood restaurant, there are clever tricks you can copy from the YouTube channel Husband’s Cooking. With just the help of three kitchen ingredients, the clams will be cooked perfectly and the shells will open by themselves.

Required Ingredients

Prepare three main spices to neutralize the fishy aroma:

– Ginger (crushed)
– Lemongrass (crushed)
– Bay leaf
– Additional: 1 tablespoon salt

Steps for Boiling Virgin Scallops

1. Boil Water: Prepare a frying pan or pan, fill it with enough water, and cook until it boils.

photo: YouTube/Husband’s Cooking

2. Add Spices: Add ginger, lemongrass, bay leaves and salt to boiling water. Leave it for a while until the aroma and spice extract blend with the water.
3. Boiling Process: Put the cockles in the spiced water. Let stand and boil for approximately 15 minutes.

photo: YouTube/Husband’s Cooking

4. Check Doneness: Pay attention to the shell. If it starts to gape, that’s a sign that the clams are cooked and ready to be removed.

photo: YouTube/Husband’s Cooking

The success of this trick is confirmed in the video:

“It’s been about 15 minutes, the shells are starting to open. This indicates that the virgin clams are cooked and this way your shellfish are guaranteed to be free from the fishy smell,” said the manager of the YouTube account Husband’s Cooking as quoted BrilioFoodWednesday (25/2/2026).

FAQs for Processing Virgin Scallops

1. Do you have to wash the clams before boiling them using this method?

Of course. It is highly recommended to brush the clam shells under running water to remove adhering mud and sand before entering the boiling stage.

2. Why does the water have to be boiled with the spices first before the shellfish goes in?

The aim is to maximize the release of essential oils from ginger, lemongrass and bay leaves into the water, so that their function as fishy odor removers works more effectively on shellfish.

3. How long is the maximum time to boil the clams so they are not tough?

15 minutes is ideal. If boiled for too long (more than 20-30 minutes), the texture of the clam meat can become shriveled and tough like rubber.

4. Is it OK to use ground ginger or lemongrass if you don’t have fresh ones?

Yes, but fresh herbs are much more effective in absorbing the sharp odor of pigeon clams than the powdered version.

5. What if there are clams whose shells remain closed after 15 minutes?

Be careful, clams that remain tightly closed after boiling for a long time usually indicate that the clams died before cooking or were of poor quality. It’s best not to force it to open for consumption.

(brl/tin)