Tegillarca granosa (also known as Anadara granosa ) is a species of ark clam known as the blood cockle or blood clam due to the red haemoglobin liquid inside the soft tissues. It is found throughout the Indo-Pacific region from the eastern coast of South Africa northwards and eastwards to Southeast Asia, Australia, Polynesia, and up to northern Japan. It lives mainly in the intertidal zone at one to two metres water depth, burrowed down into sand or mud. Adult size is about 5 to 6 cm long and 4 to 5 cm wide. The meat of this bivalve is served steamed, boiled, roasted, or traditionally raw.

Anatomy

Human use

Aquaculture

It has a high economic value as food, and it is aquacultured. On the coast of Zhejiang Province alone, blood cockle plantations occupy around 145,000 mu (about 100 km2) of mudflats. These clams are raised in the river estuaries of the neighboring Fujian Province as well.

Culinary use

In Korea, blood cockles are called kkomak (꼬막) and are cooked and seasoned with soy sauce, chili powder, and sesame oil. In Indonesia, blood cockles (local: kerang darah) are quite popular food and are served as various dishes including boiled, deep fried or sauteed. In Thailand, they are known as hoi kraeng, presumably a corruption of the common Indonesian name. In Thai cuisine, they are usually boiled and eaten with a spicy and sour dipping sauce like other types of seafood.

Safety

Some sources of blood cockle may not undergo the depuration process. Therefore, certain styles of preparation, such as the poaching commonly carried out in Shanghai, can leave many pathogens present.