Kam Heong Lala is a bold and aromatic Malaysian stir-fried clams dish cooked in a rich “golden fragrance” sauce. Spicy, savoury and irresistible, it’s best enjoyed hot with steamed rice.
Watch How To Make Kam Heong Lala – Recipe Video
Kam Heong Lala is a beloved Malaysian seafood dish known for its bold, aromatic flavours. Fresh clams are stir-fried in a fragrant “Cam Heong” sauce which is a rich blend of curry powder, dried shrimp. garlic, shallots, chilli and savoury sauce creating a perfect balance of spicy, slightly sweet and umami notes.
Cook over high heat in a wok, the clams absorb the intensely fragrant sauce while retaining their natural briny sweetness. The addition of curry leaves and dried shrimp give the dish its signature “golden fragrance”, making it both appetising and deeply satisfying.
Best enjoyed hot with steamed rice, Kam Heong Lala is a crowd-pleasing favourite that captures the essence of Malaysian home-style cooking and restaurant cuisine.
What Are Clams?
Clams are shellfish that live in sand or mud, usually in the sea but sometimes in freshwater. They have two shells (bivalves) that open and close, and inside is soft, edible meat. In cooking, clams are loved for their natural sweetness (slightly briny), juicy texture and ability to absorb flavours. They are perfect for stir-fries, soups and steamboat.
Common Types of Clams
- Lala (Asian Hard Clams) – very common in Malaysia. They are small and slightly sweet. Used in stir-fries, soups and sambal.
- Manila Clams – very popular worldwide. They are tender and sweet. Used in pasta (like Congolese), soups and steaming.
- Razor Clams – They are long and thin (like a razor), has a slightly firmer texture. Great for grilling and stir-fry.
- Bamboo Clams – Popular in Chinese cuisine. They are sweet and delicate. Often steamed with garlic and vermicelli.
- Blood Clams – Known as Kerang locally. They have a rich and slightly metallic taste. Often boiled or cook with sambal.
Important Cooking Tips
Clams must be alive before cooking (shells closed).
- Shells should be tightly closed before cooking
- Discard any clams that remain closed after cooking
Ingredients for Making Kam Heong Lala
Main Ingredients
- Clams (Lala)
- Dried Shrimp
- Garlic
- Shallots
- Curry Powder
- Curry Leaves
- Bird’s Eye Chillies
- Lemongrass
- Cooking Oil
Seasonings Sauce
- Oyster Sauce
- Light Soy Sauce
- Dark Soy Sauce
- Sugar
- Water
- Shaoxing Wine
Overview: How to Make Kam Heong Lala
Prepare The Clams (Lala)
- First, wash clams thoroughly in water to remove sand and dirt. Then put washed clams in a strainer. Soak in a big bowl of salted water with ice cubes for 1 hour, then rinse again.
- Boil a pot of water. Add in some shoaxing wine and the rinsed clams. Blanch clams briefly for 1 to 2 minutes, till all clams open up.
- Transfer the opened clams to a basin of cold water. Rinse and set aside in a bowl.
Prepare Other Ingredients
- Soak dried shrimp for 15 minutes. Drain and chop finely.
- Mince finely garlic and shallots.
- Dice and chop finely white part of lemongrass.
- Dice some bird’s eye chillies.
- Mix together all the seasoning ingredients in a bowl. Set aside the sauce.
Stir Fry Kam Heong Lala
- Fry minced dried shrimp in hot oil over medium heat till fragrant and slightly crispy.
- Then add chopped garlic, shallots and lemongrass. Continue to fry till aromatic.
- Next add curry leaves and bird’s eye chillies. Fry to release the aroma.
- Add curry powder. Fry quickly to toss it and to prevent the curry powder from being burnt.
- Lastly add in the prepared clams and seasoning sauce. Turn up heat to high. Stir fry quickly and ensure all the sauces are well coated in the clams, Fry till the sauce has reduced to a coating consistency and we are done,
How to Serve Kam Heong Lala
Serving Kam Heong Lala is all about making it aromatic, appetising and easy to enjoy, especially since it’s a saucy, shell-on dish. This dish is most fragrant when freshly cooked. Serve immediately, hot from the wok as this will keep the aroma of curry leaves, dried shrimp and spices strong. The best pairing is to eat with plain white rice, The white rice soaks up the sauce beautifully and helps balance the strong flavour.
💡 Practical Tips for Perfect Kam Heong Lala
To achieve a truly fragrant, restaurant-quality Kam Heong Lala, focus on clean clams, strong aroma, and fast cooking over high heat.
- Clean the clams thoroughly
This is the most important step. Soak in salted water with ice to help the clams purge sand. Poorly cleaned clams will ruin the entire dish. - Build a strong aromatic base
Fry the dried shrimp until slightly crispy, then cook the garlic, shallots and lemongrass until very fragrant. This forms the flavour foundation of the dish. - Control the curry powder carefully
Add curry powder briefly and stir quickly to prevent burning, which can cause bitterness. - Balance the flavours
A good Kam Heong Lala should have a balance of spicy, sweet, savoury and aromatic notes. Adjust seasoning to taste before finishing. - Use high heat for wok aroma (wok hei)
Stir-fry quickly over high heat to develop that signature smoky flavour and keep the dish dry and fragrant. - Do not overcook the clams
Cook just until the shells open. Overcooking will make the meat tough and rubbery. - Control the sauce consistency
Avoid adding too much liquid. The final dish should be slightly dry with a rich, oily coating—not watery or soupy. - Serve immediately
Kam Heong Lala is best enjoyed hot. The aroma and texture will drop quickly if left sitting too long.
Related Recipes You May Like
- Butter Prawns With Egg Floss 蛋丝奶油虾
- Fried Prawns with Soy Sauce 豉油皇煎虾碌
- Imitation Shark Fin Soup 碗仔翅 / 鱼翅汤
- Braised Shiitake Mushrooms With Broccoli 焖香菇西兰花
- Fermented Beancurd Fried Chicken Wings 南乳炸鸡翅
- Kung Pao Crispy Yam Basket (Yam Ring)
Kam Heong Lala (Golden Fragrant Clams) 甘香啦啦（蛤蜊）
Tap or Hover to Adjust Servings
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 kg Clams, lala
- 30 grams Dried Shrimp, soak in hot water, drained and finely chop
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 5 Shallots, chopped
- 1 tbsp Fish curry powder
- 5 stalks Curry leaves
- 2 Bird's eye chillies, diced
- 1 stalk Lemongrass, finely sliced white part only
- 3 tbsp Cooking oil
Seasoning Sauce: (Mixed in bowl)
- 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- ¼ cup Water
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing Wine
Have ready the ingredients needed to make the dish.
Start by preparing to wash the clams. Put clams into a big bowl. Add water and massage well the clams in the water to remove mud and sand. Transfer into a strainer. Repeat the washing a few times till water runs clear.
Then prepare to soak the clams. Put the clams in a strainer on top of a big bowl or coriander. Add 2 tsp salt. Add water till all the clams are covered. Add some ice cubes and leave to soak for 1 hour.
Then give the soaked clams a final rinse. Remove the clams in a strainer from the big bowl. Place the clams in a big bowl and wash with water. Drain and set aside.
Next blanch the clams. Place the washed clams in a wok or pan. Add in a piece of smashed ginger and 2 stalks of curry leaves. Cover with lid, on heat to highest and cook till all the clams open. Remove the clams onto a strainer and wash in water. And the clams are ready to be used.
Soak dried shrimp in warm water for about 15 minutes to soften and to release their flavour.Then drain and chop finely. Set aside.
Mince finely garlic and shallots. Finely sliced and chopped the white part of lemongrass. Also dice some bird eye's chillies.
Have ready all the sauce ingredients to make the golden fragrant clams dish.
Mix well all sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Heat 3 tbsp oil in wok over medium heat. Add minced dried shrimp. Fry till fragrant and dried shrimp turn golden and slightly crispy. (about 2-3 min).
Then add minced garlic, shallots and lemongrass. Continue to fry till all are well combined and aromatic.
Add curry leaves and diced bird's eye chillies. Fry for 1 minute till curry leaves release aroma and the spices turn aromatic.
Then add curry powder and stir fry quickly to toss it, ensuring the curry powder does not burn.
Turn heat to high. Add drained clams and Kam Heong sauce. Stir fry quickly to mix clams with sauce, making sure the sauce coats all the clams. Fry till sauce has reduced to a thick coating consistency. And we are done!
Transfer the flavourful clam dish onto a serving plate.
Serve the dish immediately with plain white rice and Enjoy!
Instructions
Prepare Ingredients:
Prepare the Clams:
Prepare other ingredients:
Prepare Kam Heong Sauce:
Stir Fry Kam Heong Lala:
Enjoy!
Recipe Video
Notes
- Use Lala (Asian Clams) for this dish as they are small size, hence absorbs sauce well. They are naturally sweet, balances spicy and savoury flavours.
- Avoid large clams for this dish as they do not absorb sauce as well.
- It is most important to clean the clams properly. Otherwise the dish will be ruined.
- Build a strong fragrant base. The flavour must be bold and fragrant. Fry the ingredients until very fragrant and slightly crispy.
- Balance the taste. It should be spicy, sweet, savoury and aromatic. Taste and adjust accordingly.
- Do not overcook the clams (Lala). Cook just until the shells open.
- Use high heat and toss quickly. This gives that smoky, restaurant flavour.
- Need to control the sauce. Do not add too much liquid when frying. You want slightly dry, oily and fragrant coating and not soupy.
- Serve immediately as it’s best eaten hot. Aroma drops quickly if left too long.
NUTRITION
❓Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Kam Heong Lala is a popular Malaysian seafood dish where fresh clams are stir-fried in a fragrant “golden spice” sauce made with curry powder, dried shrimp, garlic, shallots and chillies. It is known for its bold, aromatic flavour and slightly spicy, savoury taste.
“Kam Heong” (金香) translates to “golden fragrance” in Chinese. It refers to the rich, aromatic flavour created by frying curry leaves, dried shrimp and spices until intensely fragrant.
Use Lala (Asian hard clams) for best results. They are small, naturally sweet and absorb the Kam Heong sauce well. Larger clams are less suitable as they do not hold the flavour as effectively.
Soaking helps the clams purge sand and dirt trapped inside their shells. Adding ice slows them down and encourages them to release impurities more effectively, resulting in a cleaner dish.
Blanching helps remove impurities and ensures the clams open before stir-frying. It also prevents excess water from being released during cooking, which helps keep the dish dry and fragrant.
This usually happens when: Clams are not pre-blanched, Too much liquid is added, Heat is too low
Use high heat and avoid excess water to achieve a dry, aromatic coating.
Fresh clams should be tightly closed or close when tapped. Discard any that are open before cooking or remain closed after cooking.
Yes. Reduce or omit the bird’s eye chillies to adjust the spice level while keeping the flavour aromatic.
Fresh clams are highly recommended for best flavour. Frozen clams can be used, but they may release more water and result in a less fragrant dish.
This is usually due to: Not frying the dried shrimp long enough, Aromatics not cooked until fragrant, Heat too low
The key is to fry ingredients until very aromatic and slightly crispy before adding the clams.
This dish is best cooked and served immediately. The aroma and texture will drop quickly if left sitting for too long.
It is best served with steamed white rice, which helps balance the bold flavours and absorbs the rich Kam Heong sauce.
