Coconut Curry Mussels
Mussels steamed open in a Kerala-style broth of coconut milk, ginger, green chile, mustard seed and curry leaves. Rice or bread for the broth is not optional.
Bloom the spice in the hot oil before any liquid touches it. Thirty seconds in fat turns a curry blend toasty. Dumped straight into coconut milk it tastes raw and dusty.
Chef's shortcut: Curry Crack is the whole spice base here. Fry it in the coconut oil for 30 seconds before the liquid goes in, and since it's already salted, taste the broth before you add any more. Get it at Crack Spice
Ingredients
- 2 lb mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- 12 fresh curry leaves, optional
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 serrano chiles, split lengthwise
- 2 tsp Curry Crack curry seasoning, or 2 tsp curry powder and 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 ripe tomato, diced
- 1 13.5-oz can full-fat coconut milk
- ½ cup water
- 1 lime
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- 3 cups cooked basmati rice or crusty bread, for the broth
Method
- Rinse the mussels in cold water and pull off any beards. Tap any open ones on the counter. If they don't close, throw them out, along with any with cracked shells.
- Heat the coconut oil in a wide 5-quart pot over medium-high. Add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, about 30 seconds, add the curry leaves and step back. They spit.
- Add the shallots and cook until soft and golden at the edges, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and chiles and cook 1 minute more.
- Add the Crack Spice and stir it in the oil for 30 seconds, until it smells toasty. Add the tomato, coconut milk and water and simmer until the broth thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Taste it now. It should be a little salty, because the mussels add no salt of their own until they open.
- Turn the heat to high, add the mussels, and cover. Cook, shaking the pot once halfway, until the shells open, 4 to 6 minutes. Throw out any that stay shut.
- Squeeze in the juice of half the lime and scatter the cilantro. Serve in wide bowls with plenty of broth, the rest of the lime in wedges, and rice or bread on the side.