This quick, post-work way of cooking mussels is greater than the sum of its time. It takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish, yet still manages to achieve an intense depth of flavour. Serve it how you wish, but I think a fresh, crusty baguette is key, to mop up all those juices, as is a sturdy napkin to tuck into your collar to preserve your clothes from the almost inevitable splash-back. And candles, because mussels always feel romantic to me, even if it is just a regular weeknight.
Spiced mussels in coconut
Prep 5 min
Cook 25 min
Serves 2
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
20g ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp red Thai curry paste
1 tbsp tomato puree
400ml can coconut milk
1 tsp brown sugar
1kg mussels
1 lime, juiced
½ bunch Thai basil, leaves picked
Crusty bread, to serve
Put a large casserole or heavy-based saucepan on a medium heat, add the coconut oil, sliced onion and ginger, and fry for 10 minutes. Stir in the ground turmeric and coriander, then, after a minute, add the curry paste and tomato puree, and fry for a minute more.
Add the coconut milk and brown sugar, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer and cook for five minutes, so the sauce thickens and turns rich.
Meanwhile, remove and discard the beards from the mussels, then wash them under a cold tap until the water runs clear; throw away any with broken shells or that stay open when tapped at the edge. When the soup base is ready, add the cleaned mussels, then turn up the heat, cover and cook for five minutes, until all the mussels are open; discard any that do not.
Toss the mussels through the sauce, add the lime juice, then tear in the Thai basil and serve with crusty bread.
