Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup minced shallots
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 dried red Thai chile
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk
- ½ cup lime juice
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- salt as needed
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 pounds mussels, cleaned
Why This Dish Is Hard To Resist
Cooking Hints
- Use fresh lime juice for the best flavor, and add it at the end of cooking to keep its brightness.
- Don’t overcook the mussels; they only need a few minutes until they open up to stay tender and juicy.
Directions
Melt some butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Toss in the shallots and let them soften for about 5 to 7 minutes. Then add the garam masala, turmeric, bay leaves, and chile pepper, cooking everything until the spices release their lovely aroma—around 3 minutes. Next, stir in the ginger and tomato paste, cooking for another couple of minutes until it darkens slightly. Pour in the coconut milk and lime juice, then sprinkle in the sugar and black pepper. Give it a good stir and let the mixture simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Taste it and add salt if you think it needs a bit more flavor. Finally, add the mussels to the pan, cover, and cook until all the shells have opened, which should take around 5 minutes. Toss out any that stay closed. Serve the mussels in a bowl and sprinkle some fresh cilantro on top before digging in.
