Just when you thought garlic butter shellfish can’t get any better—wait until you try diwal, a rare seasonal delicacy from Negros.
What is diwal?
According to the Ark of Taste, diwal (or angel wings clam) is a long oval-shaped clam commonly found in the Western Visayas region. They can be found underneath clay or silt soils near the mouth of rivers in Roxas City, Pan-ay, Capiz Province and the central Negros Occidental area.
Presently, only divers from Valladolid are permitted to harvest them from January to April. These prized clams and their habitat are protected against illegal fishing and trawling.
These white, meaty shellfish are ideally harvested when they are about 5 cm long. They are traditionally cooked grilled and served with a popular Visayan boiled vegetable dish called laswa or simply steamed with aromatics like ginger and lemongrass.
Recipe Tip
- Prepare the diwal by washing it throughly under running water. As these clams are harvested beneath muddy soil, gently scrub them to remove any dirt or grit so as not to have any unpleasant, sandy bits as you eat them.
- Butter burns at a relatively low temperature (~150°C / 300°F) so keep your pan on low to medium heat, especially if you’re new to cooking.
- Make sure not to burn the garlic as it will turn bitter when overcooked. Watch its color turn golden as it cooks in low to medium heat.
