Ming Tsai and Bart Chow digging for clams in Alaska

Ingredients:

3 cups short-grain, Japanese sushi rice
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh ginger
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh garlic
1/2-cup dungeness crab, picked
1 cup scallions, white and green parts, sliced 1 inch thick
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 giant cabbage leaves, from inner third of plant, blanched and shocked
1/2-cup grapeseed oil
1 lb. razor clams, scrubbed
1 Tbs. black pepper, coarse ground
1 Tbs. white pepper, coarse ground
1 cup Szechwan peppercorns, coarse ground
2 Tbs. coarse sea salt, preferable fleur de sel
1-1/2 quarts sea water, mixed with bull kelp and 1 cup plankton
8 scallions, green and white parts, finely chopped
grapeseed oil to cook

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the rice with enough warm water to cover it generously. Swish the rice in the water in a single direction to wash it of residual starch.
   
2. Drain the water, refill the bowl and swish again. Repeat until the water is clear when the rice is swished.
   
3. Drain the rice and place it in a rice cooker. Flatten the rice with a palm and without removing your hand, add water until it rises to the highest knuckle of your hand.
   
4. Turn on the rice cooker. When done, transfer the rice to a large bowl and cool.
   
5. Heat a wok over high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the oil and swirl to coat the pan.
   
6. When the oil shimmers, add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry about 2 minutes until soft.
   
7. Add the crab, scallions, and cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste and mix lightly.
   
8. To form the packets place 4 cabbage leaves lengthwise on a work surface. Place 1 cup of the filling in the center of each.
   
9. Fold the bottoms up to enclose the filling and the tops down to cover the bottoms.
   
10. Fold the left and right sides under the pouches.
    
11. Pour the seawater mixed with the kelp and plankton into a wok fitted with a steamer.
    
12. Bring the water to a boil and place the packets and the clams in the steamer.
    
13. Cook until the clams open, about 10 minutes.
    
14. Divide the pouches among 4 plates.
    
15. Using the point of a knife, slit and H with a long center bar in each and fold back the wrapper.
    
16. Place 3 of the clams on top of each portion.
    
17. Wipe out the wok and return to the heat.
    
18. Add remaining oil and heat until almost smoking.
    
19. Add all the peppercorns, swirl once until sizzling.
    
20. Immediately flash the scallops with the hot oil.
    
21. Garnish the scallions and serve.

Wine: Pacific Eliao Rose.

Copyright Ming Tsai, 2000, All Rights Reserved