Thai-Style Mussels
What to eat in October? I can’t believe that we are about 2 months away from 2010! Weather is getting colder and I tend to cook soupy or one-pot kind of food during Autumn/Winter. In October, there are lots of things in season. All these food reminds me of shorter days and longer nights, which I don’t really look forward.
It’s good to eat whatever that’s in season because this reduce the energy needed to grow and transport the food we eat. Of course, the main reason would be that seasonal food is fresher and so tends to be tastier and more nutritious. Nowadays, we can eat almost everything 12 months a year without having to wait for the actual season of a particular food though. Most often than not, a lot of vegs and fruits are imported from other countries to the UK, so, there’s very good chance to get hold of food that is not in season. I am not sure if this is good, I guess, modern shoppers like us are really demanding and always want to be able to get any types of food all year round, this has made food import essential.
So, mussels are in season again! I am such a great fan of mussels! Maybe I should say I just love seafood! Indulging in seafood makes me feel closer to the sea. The smell and taste of the sea makes seafood such irresistible! Do you remember the following recipes that I previously made?
1. Mussels in Herby Tomato Sauce
2. Mussels in White Wine (Moules Marinieres)
3. Curry Mussels (Moules au Curry)
They are just as irresistible as Thai-Style mussels that I am going to share with you guys. All the above recipes that I made were more of Western-style cooking. This time, why not give mussels a Thai twist, the clean, fresh flavours work brilliantly!
Thai-Style Mussels
Prep Time:
20 minutes
Cook Time:
30 minutes
Yield:
4 servings
Ingredients:
For the Thai-Style Mussels:
1kg mussels
1 tbsp oil
4 garlic cloves
1 lemongrass, white part only
2-3 tsp chopped red chillies
100ml water
2 tbsp Chinese rice wine
a handful of Thai basil leaves, roughly chopped
Method:
1. Scrub the outside of the mussels with a brush. Remove and discard the beards.
2. Heat the oil in a wok or large pan add garlic, lemongrass and chili. Cook until slightly brown and fragrant.
3. Add the mussels to the wok and toss well. Add in chinese rice wine, water, and Thai basil after about 3 minutes. Mix well. Put the lid back on for another 1 minutes or so until all the mussels are open (discard any that stay closed).
