Steamed Mussels in Thai Curry Sauce
"On a trip to the Northwest, I enjoyed dinner at Yarrow Bay Grill in Kirkland, Washington," writes Sue Eltringham of Prescott, Arizona. "I'm a big fan of mussels and was especially fond of their version, with coconut-curry sauce. I'd like to have the recipe so that I can enjoy it again before my next visit."
Rich coconut flavor and just the right amount of heat make this starter special. A trip to an Asian market will likely yield most of the ingredients you need.
4.4
(31)
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 6 to 8 first-course servings
Ingredients
2 13.5-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk* (3 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste**
1 cup chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
2 stalks lemongrass,** trimmed, coarsely chopped (about 1/3 cup) or 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)**
3 kaffir lime leaves or 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice plus 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime peel
2 tablespoons peanut oil
3 pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded
4 plum tomatoes, diced (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation
Step 1
Bring coconut milk to boil in heavy large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium; add curry paste and whisk until dissolved. Add next 6 ingredients. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes. Strain into bowl.
Step 2
Heat peanut oil in large deep skillet over high heat. Add mussels. Sauté 2 minutes. Add strained curry sauce. Cover and cook until mussels open, about 4 minutes (discard any mussels that do not open). Transfer to large serving bowl. Sprinkle with tomatoes and cilantro and serve.
Step 3
- Available at Indian, Southeast Asian, and Latin American markets as well as many supermarkets.
Step 4
** Available at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets.