Lemongrass & Coconut Cream Grilled Mussels

I hope everyone have had a great July 4th celebration. This July 4th marks the 7th anniversary of Rasa Malaysia. Yep, seven years ago on July 4th, 2006, I started Rasa Malaysia as a hobby. Never have I thought that this humble blog has flourished into something so big and meaningful…I have to thank you—my readers. Thanks for staying with me and your tremendous support all these years, and I hope to be serving you more easy and delectable recipes in many years to come. Thank you!

Anyway, everything has been going very well for me on Rasa Malaysia and I am so excited that I am one of the contributors to the launch of KithenAid’s new blog “Kitchenthusiasts.” My challenge was “Rock a Cookout” with KitchenAid Outdoor Grill. Summer is in full swing now and I’m sure everyone has many summer BBQ’s to attend to. To me, there is nothing more fun—and delicious—than having your friends and family together for a summer cookout with an outdoor grill.

While chicken, steak, and burgers are popular, I wanted to challenge myself to rock a cookout with fresh mussels. Mussels are briny and they are especially enticing—and aromatic— when grilled over fire. My recipe is quick and easy, and the total prep time and cook time are short so you can have more fun mingling with your friends and family instead of manning the grill all day long. I love pairing these Lemongrass and Coconut Cream Grilled Mussels with cold beer as they are absolutely delightful and addictive.

(Click Page 2 for the Lemongrass and Coconut Cream Grilled Mussels Recipe)

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Thai Red Curry Mussels

It’s hard to get enough of mussels in the summer. Pretty much everywhere I go these days, there’s some sort of mussels special on the menu, whether it’s a large appetizer for sharing or with a pasta or seafood casserole entree.

When I make mussels at home, they’re usually steamed with a minimal number of other ingredients, such as wine, shallots, and ginger. But sometimes I like to spice things up a bit (pun fully intended) by cooking it Thai-style with red curry paste. Store-bought mild red curry paste adds a bit of a kick, while the coconut milk and lime make this the quintessential summer dish. A bit of light brown sugar creates a lip-smacking sweet-and-sour curry. 

You’ll need several changes of water to clean the mussels (a clean brush comes in handy for scrubbing the shells) and to pull the beards from the shells. But the cooking itself takes all of 5 or 6 minutes, which is all the time you really want to spend in front of the stove in July. I think the curry itself contains plenty of flavor already, but feel free to adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if you choose at the end of cooking.

There will be plenty of delicious curry left, so be sure to have plenty of white rice to pour the broth over or crusty French bread for dipping.

Bon appétit!

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Thai Red Curry Mussels

Serves 3 to 4 as an appetizer or as part of a multi-course meal

3 pounds mussels1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil2 cloves garlic, minced1 tablespoon minced ginger3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste1 14-ounce can unsweetened light coconut milk2 tablespoons fish sauce2 tablespoons light brown sugarSalt and pepper to taste1 lime, cut into wedgesRinse and scrub the mussels under cold water, changing the water several times, to remove any grit.  Debeard the mussels by removing the stringy bits in the seam where the two shells meet as best you can. Discard any mussels with cracked shells or any with open shells that don’t close when you gently tap them against the counter.Heat a deep sauté pan, wok, or medium pot over medium-high heat until a bead of water sizzles and evaporates contact. Add the oil and swirl to coat the base. Add the garlic and ginger and cook briefly until aromatic, about 20 to 30 seconds. Add the curry paste and cook for another 30 to 40 seconds. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce, and brown sugar.Bring the liquid to a boil. Add the mussels, cover, and steam for 4 to 5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Uncover and add salt and pepper to taste if desired.Discard any mussels that have not opened, then transfer to a serving dish. Spoon the curry over the mussels and add lime wedges to the dish (for squeezing at the table.) Serve with rice or crusty Frenchbread.More easy seafood dishes to try:Tagged as: Mussels, Recipes, Seafood, Thai

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Steamed Mussels with Ginger and Shallots

I’ve been on such a shellfish kick lately. In the span of a month, I’ve eaten mussels and clams almost every time I’ve had dinner out, from French-style mussels steamed in white wine at a local hangout to Chinese clams with black bean sauce at dim sum. Maybe it’s because of spring and warmer temps, but restaurants have been putting up seafood specials left and right, and I happily indulge.

Fortunately, living near two good seafood markets means I can decide on whim to have mussels and clams for dinner and just walk down the street to pick them up. A couple of days ago, I decided to do an easy meal of mussels with ginger and shallots, steamed with Chinese rice wine.

Sometimes I cook mussels with Chinese black beans and chili paste, but this time I opted for forgo heavier flavorings in favor of a lighter dish. Chinese rice wine, much like a dry white wine in preparing moules marinière, compliments and shows off the sweet brininess of the fresh mussels. And once you debeard the mussels, the actual cooking time is super quick.

Another reason to love this: the simple flavorings means that is one Chinese dish that easily pairs with most drinks, including beer, white wine,  Lambrusco, and gin rickeys.

And fellow seafood fans, let me know in the comments: Do you have a favorite way of cooking mussels?

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Steamed Mussels with Ginger and Shallots

Serves 4 as an appetizer

2 pounds mussels1 tablespoon vegetable oil2 teaspoons minced ginger1 shallot, finely chopped1/2 cup Chinese rice wine or dry sherry2 teaspoons fish sauce1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper1 scallion, thinly sliced or chopped

Special equipment: wok or large skillet with lid

Rinse and scrub the mussels under cold water, changing the water several times, to remove any grit.  Debeard the mussels by removing the stringy bits in the seam where the two shells meet as best you can. Discard any mussels with cracked shells or any with open shells that don’t close when you gently tap them against the counter.Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat until a bead of water sizzles and evaporates contact. Add the oil and swirl to coat the base. Add the ginger and shallots and stir-fry until aromatic, about 30 to 40 seconds. Add the rice wine and fish sauce. Carefully add the mussels and cover with a lid. Allow the mussels to steam for 5 minutes, then uncover. Stir in the white pepper.Discard any mussels that have not opened, then transfer to a serving dish along with the broth remaining in the pan. Sprinkle the scallions on top and serve.

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More seafood recipes to try:

Shrimp with Spicy Garlic Sauce

Ginger and Scallion Steamed Crab

Shrimp and Chive Dumplings

Clams with Mirin, Lime, and Cucumbers from Turntable Kitchen

Filipino Adobo with Shrimp from Wishful Chef

Dungenuss Crab in Beer Broth with Garlic and Chile from Viet World Kitchen

Steamed Oysters with Tangerine Peel Sauce from Red Cook

Tagged as: Chinese, Mussels, Seafood

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