Steamed Mussels with Thai-Style Coconut-Curry Broth

Mains

Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Servings: 3 to 4 servings Source:

Ingredients

8 sprigs cilantro, leaves and stems roughly chopped and reserved separately

4 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 small shallots, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon whole coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon dried Thai chiles or red chile flakes

1 teaspoon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lime (plus additional limes for serving)

Kosher salt

1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk (do not shake before opening)

1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil

1 tablespoon Thai green curry paste

1 tablespoon brown or palm sugar

1 tablespoon fish sauce, plus more to taste

2 pounds mussels (see notes)

1 small Thai or serrano chile, thinly sliced

Directions

Combine cilantro stems, half of garlic, half of shallot, coriander seeds, dried chile, lime zest and a small pinch of kosher salt in a mortar and pestle. Pound and grind until a smooth paste is formed.

Scoop 2 tablespoons of thick cream from the top of the can of coconut milk and add to a large saucepan. Add oil and heat over medium heat until shimmering and sputtering. Add remaining garlic and shallots, pounded aromatic paste, and the store-bought (or homemade) curry paste. Cook, stirring and scraping the paste around the bottom of the pan until very aromatic, about 4 minutes. Add remaining contents of coconut milk can, sugar, and fish sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook until rich and aromatic, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with more fish sauce as desired.

Add mussels, stir, cover, and cook, shaking pan constantly and peeking every 30 seconds to stir. As soon as all the mussels are open, stir in chopped cilantro leaves, fresh chile, and lime juice. Serve immediately, with additional limes at the table.

Notes

I strongly advise using a good mortar and pestle for making the curry paste, though in a pinch a blender will do. To make in a blender, add aromatics and curry paste to the blender along with a tablespoon of water. Blend on high speed, scraping down sides and adding water as necessary until a paste is formed.

Examine mussels before using. If they're gritty or have lots of beards (it'll look like bits of hair coming out from between their shells), scrub them well under cold water and pull out the beards by grabbing them and pulling towards the hinge-end of the mussels. (More on cleaning and debearding mussels here.) Farm-raised mussels are generally quite clean when they are sold.

When examining, discard cracked mussels or open mussels that don't close when tapped with another mussel.

Nutrition

(per serving)
387 Calories 29g Fat 19g Carbs 17g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 387
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g 37%
Saturated Fat 21g 104%
Cholesterol 32mg 11%
Sodium 944mg 41%
Total Carbohydrate 19g 7%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 17g
Vitamin C 17mg 85%
Calcium 67mg 5%
Iron 8mg 45%
Potassium 569mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.