Mussels with Chilli, Lemongrass and Kaffir Lime Leaves
The first time I tried a dish similar to this was in Perth at the legendary Blue Duck in Cottesloe. A big bowl of steaming mussels with a coconutty milk sauce, lashings of chilli, and the freshness of lemongrass…. Mmmm!! Now this is what I call Fusion cuisine…
Tonight I made this delightfully simple dish at home, and it just blew our minds. perhaps because I quadrupled the amount of chilli that was prescribed!! Well I am a chilli freak… Anyway, it certainly had enough kick to send the endorphins rushing, and send me on a natural high!
This dish would set you back some $25 in a reasonably fancy establishment, but shouldn’t - it is child’s play to make, and costs very little.
(recipe modified from Gordon Ramsay’s in this month’s delicious magazine).
Ingredients
1 kg mussels (we bought Tasmanian ones for $8.50 a kg. There are cheaper local ones which are probably just as good).
1 stalk lemongrass
4 small red chillies (Chillipadis) - or less if you aren’t as masochistic as we are
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 thumbnail size pieces of ginger, grated
2-3 kaffir lime leaves
200ml coconut cream
1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp lime juice
small handful each torn basil and coriander leaves
Methods
Clean the mussels by washing in cold water, scrubbing off any barnacles, and pulling the beards off. Discard any that don’t close after a firm tap.
Remove the outer layers of the lemongrass and cut in half; chop the inner part of the lemongrass finely.
Heat some oil in a large saucepan and gently fry the chilli, lemongrass, ginger and garlic until fragrant
Add the Mussels, coconut cream, outer lemongrass parts, and lime leaves, shake to mix, and cover
Steam for 4-5 minutes, shaking the pan a few times
Add lime juice, fish sauce and sugar to taste (Add less first as it is difficult to adjust otherwise) then add herbs and serve with lots of crusty bread and a delicious Sauvignon blanc preferably from the Marlborough region in New Zealand.
Don’t plan anything energetic for after your meal as you will be in a food coma!!!
This recipe serves two people as a small main meal (Plan another simple dish to serve with it, or else increase the quantities).
ps. I think it would be great to add a pinch of turmeric to the mussels to give the sauce a lovely yellow colour.