A few years ago when I was visiting friends in France, they served mussels in a red curry broth, and it instantly became my favorite way to enjoy the bivalves! I probably ate a whole baguette soaking up the spicy, flavorful, and unique broth!
This recipe has over 500,000 views on Instagram and growing for good reason – it is the perfect bougie on a budget date night in! I live in Nashville, and mussels are $3.99/lb, much less expensive than if you were to order at a restaurant! And you get to drink your own wine, too!
Ingredients:
Curry Paste: This is where most of your flavor is coming from, so the brand of curry paste is so important! I always use Maesri, it is one of the most authentic options out there. You can find it at a local Thai or Asian market or buy on Amazon.
Lemongrass: Lemongrass is usually available at a local Asian or Thai market, fresh in stalks or frozen pre-ground. Either will work for this dish! I have not tried with dried lemongrass.
Fish Sauce: The best fish sauces will be found at a local Thai, Vietnamese, or general Asian market. The fish market found in the International aisle at the grocery store is not going to contribute to the flavor in the same way. Two brands that are available on Amazon that I recommend are Megachef Fish Sauce and Squid Fish Sauce.
Coconut Milk: Don’t skimp! Go for the full fat. I typically get Arroy-D.
Prepping your Mussels:
- Immediately when you bring them home, prepare a bowl of salt water for them to soak in. Sometimes they look alive/open, but it’s just because they are trying to breathe. Allowing them to rest in salt water will give you a better gauge for whether they are still alive or not.
- Remove all “beards,” wipe down with a paper towel, and rinse quickly but thoroughly under COLD water. I get water out of my fridge because the tap is not cold enough. You don’t want them to have too much fresh water exposure
- Discard of any mussels that are not completely closed shut. Even if they are barely cracked open, if they spring back open when you try to close, they are already dead and should not be eaten. It is sad, but at least they’re cheap!
Mussels in Red Curry Broth
Ingredients
- 1 lb mussels
- 3-4 large cloves of garlic minced
- 1 inch ginger minced
- 1 T lemongrass minced
- 1.5 T red curry paste I am using the Maesri brand, which is my favorite and very strong and spicy so double if using another brand
- About 1 cup dry white wine You want enough to cover the pan and partially cover all the mussels
- 1.5 T fish sauce
- ½ cup full fat coconut milk
- 1/2 one lime about ½ an ounce
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped
Instructions
- Clean mussels well in salt water, discarding any mussel that is not fully closed. If it is slightly open, and you close it, and it stays closed, it is still alive. It bounces back open, discard. It is very sad to throw them away, but it is more sad to get sick from eating bad mussels!
- Choose a pan that has a glass top, so you can see when the mussels open. Then, in that pan over medium heat, add 1-2 T avocado oil to sautee garlic, ginger, and lemongrass until fragrant. Add curry paste and sautee until very fragrant and color deepens.
- Add in mussels and shake the pan a bit to spread out and coat with the curry paste mixture. Immediately add white wine, fish sauce, and cover pan with the lid.
- Watch for mussels to start opening. Once they do, remove from pan into your serving bowl. You may need to open and close the pan a couple times. If any mussels do not open, discard.
- Once mussels are removed, keep sauce simmering and add in coconut milk. Stir well with a whisk to remove any lumps. Taste and adjust for salt.
- Finish the broth with lime juice and cilantro and pour over the mussels
- Serve with toasted or grilled bread and the rest of your white wine