Vietnamese Clams with Shrimp Chips

I’m kinda dorkily excited about this recipe. This is a riff on my favorite appetizer at Present, the Vietnamese restaurant down the street. There, you pick up a savory meat and clams mixture with rice crackers.

I made something similar using shrimp chips -  I found the type you fry up in a little oil in NYC’s Chinatown, and have been dying to make them.

We had this with Vietnamese summer rolls and Shortcut Wonton Soup (recipe to follow).

2 cans chopped clams, drained

8 oz ground turkey breast

a bit of chicken boullion (optional – I thought this was a little weird, but it was a tip I found from a Vietnamese woman on Chowhound so decided to try it)

2-3 scallions, chopped

large handful cilantro, chopped

1 inch piece ginger, or some ginger paste, minced

dash fish sauce

dash soy sauce

1 tsp olive oil

handful crushed peanuts

shrimp chips or rice crackers, for serving

In a bowl, combine clams, scallions, ground turkey, ginger and boullion. Toss together. Add dash fish sauce and soy sauce.

Heat oil in pan. Sautee clam mixture until meat is cooked through. Taste and add additional soy sauce/fish sauce if needed.

Stir in cilantro and top with peanuts. Serve with chips for dipping and scooping up the mixture.

WW Points: About 2 per serving, not including chips (5 servings)