Directions

1. 1

   Thoroughly scrub the Manila clams under cool running water using a small brush to remove any sand, grit, or debris from their shells. Place the cleaned clams in a large saucepan and add 1½ cups of water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. The clams will open as steam rises from the pot—this usually takes 5–7 minutes. Once most clams are open, turn off the heat. If any clams remain closed after 1 minute, discard them as they are not safe to eat.

2. 2

   Using tongs, carefully remove the opened clams from the pot and set aside to cool slightly. Strain the cooking liquid (clam broth) through cheesecloth or a fine-mesh strainer lined with paper towel into a clean bowl. Reserve exactly 1 cup of this strained broth for the soup. The remaining broth can be saved for another use or frozen.

3. 3

   In a clean saucepan, combine the remaining 4 cups of water with the instant dashi. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the dashi is fully dissolved. Add the reserved 1 cup of clam broth and stir well. In a small bowl, whisk the white miso paste with a few tablespoons of the hot broth until smooth and lump-free, then pour this mixture back into the saucepan and gently stir until fully incorporated. Do not allow the broth to boil vigorously once miso is added, as high heat can diminish its delicate flavor. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

4. 4

   Remove the clams from their shells and discard the shells. Divide the clams evenly among 4 shallow serving bowls. Carefully ladle the hot miso broth over the clams in each bowl, distributing it evenly. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the fresh snipped chives over the surface of each bowl.

5. 5

   Top each serving with a daikon curl and a few whole fresh chives for garnish. Serve the soup immediately while it is still hot.