River mussels are a kind of mollusk, also known as river clams, clam shells, clams, etc. They live at the bottom of freshwater lakes, ponds, rivers, etc., half buried in the sand.

Almost no one like me who comes from the countryside has never seen this thing.

I remember that when I was a kid, they were everywhere in the river, but I never ate them. I heard adults say that there are many parasites in mussel meat, so it felt scary, but it was common to feed river mussel meat to ducks.

In fact, mussel meat is rich in protein, calcium and other trace elements needed by the human body. It is a delicious delicacy and a rare medicinal material.

100 grams of river mussel meat contains 10.9 grams of protein, 248 mg of calcium, 26.6 mg of iron, 6.23 mg of zinc, 305 mg of phosphorus, 243 micrograms of vitamin A, 20.24 micrograms of selenium, and 2.3 micrograms of carotene.

Regular consumption has the effects of strengthening the brain and improving intelligence, nourishing yin and calming the liver, improving eyesight and strengthening teeth.

Relevant data show that river clam meat can also remove the toxicity of ethanol, clear away heat and nourish yin, and improve human immunity. It is an important medicinal material in traditional Chinese medicine.

When I was a child, my father processed the river mussels he caught and put them in a water tank to purify the water. The reason for this is unknown.

Only when I grew up did I realize that river mussels are a delicacy. After cooking, the soup is mellow and delicious.

Many people know that river mussel meat is extremely difficult to boil. This is mainly due to the structure of the axe in the mussel and its edge. The more it is heated, the harder it becomes. Therefore, you have to repeatedly tap the edge of the axe with a wooden stick before cooking.

The meat is loosened and its structure is changed, making it easier to cook and eat.

After buying river mussels, you need to keep them in clean water for two or three days, and wait until they have spit out all the sediment before cooking.

The lid of fresh river mussel shells is tightly closed and difficult to open by hand, mainly due to the suction muscles in the shell (referred to as mussel pillars).

The closing muscle is the switch that opens and closes the mussel. Once it is closed, it is extremely difficult to open it with bare hands. If it can be opened by hand, it means it is a dead mussel. When it is opened, there will be a fishy smell, and the meat will be dark, and bacteria have multiplied. It must not be

edible.

When taking meat from fresh river clams, you should hold the clam body tightly with your left hand, hold a knife in your right hand and slowly insert it into the body from the inner shell wall close to one side of the water outlet of the river clam. The penetration depth is about one-third, and then

The shell-sucking muscles of the river mussel must be scraped hard to open the mussel body. Of course, you can also boil it in hot water and it will open naturally.

Removing the flesh of river mussels is also a key step. After opening, you must first remove the grayish-yellow gills and the mud intestines on the back. Often the mud in the intestines is difficult to remove, so you have to cut the intestines with scissors, and then rinse them repeatedly with water.

You can rub it with salt and remove the mucus before cooking.

Here’s how to make a casserole stewed with bacon and mussels: 2,000 grams of mussels and 150 grams of bacon.

Accessories: 50 grams of winter bamboo shoots, 30 grams of shiitake mushrooms, 25 grams of cooking wine, 5 grams of white pepper, 3 grams each of ginger, green onions, and salt.

1. Wash and cut the fresh mussel meat into pieces and set aside. Slice the ginger and green onions into sections. Peel and slice the winter bamboo shoots. Remove the stems and slices of the shiitake mushrooms.

2. Soak the bacon in water, wash it, and cut it into 3cm*1cm pieces.

3. Knock the mussels loose with a wooden stick and wash them. Boil the clams under cold water until the soup turns white. Remove the mussels and set aside.

4. Put the boiled soup in the casserole, then add the bacon and mussels, bring to a boil over high heat, remove the foam, turn to low heat, and add the onion, ginger and cooking wine.

4 When it is cooked until cooked, add winter bamboo shoots, mushroom slices and salt. After simmering, remove the ginger and green onion and sprinkle with white pepper.

Remove the lid before serving, and be sure not to add MSG, as the clam itself is rich in umami, and adding MSG will cause an off-flavor.

Friendly reminder, river mussels contain a high concentration of pentavalent arsenic compounds, which when combined with a large amount of vitamin C, will form trace amounts of arsenic. Therefore, try to avoid eating them at the same time as beer and fruits rich in vitamin C.

I also think of the allusion that "the snipe and the clam compete with each other, and the fisherman profits." There are many such stories in modern life. I hope everyone can be a fisherman, but it is best not to profit from others' competition. Think about it, everyone

If you are a winner, what a better world it will be!

River mussels are molluscs, known as mussel shells or clams in some places. They live at the bottom of freshwater lakes, swamps, rivers, etc., half-buried in the sand.

The meat is edible and can also be used as bait for fish and poultry and as feed for poultry and livestock.

Nowadays, more and more people eat mussels, and the mussels made by my mother are also very delicious.