Thai Pineapple and Mussel Curry.
Ingredients.
1 kg / 2 lb of fresh mussels.
2 stalks of lemon grass, roughly chopped.
20 basil leaves.
2 tablespoons of groundnut oil / peanut oil.
2 tablespoons of thai red curry paste.
5 cm / 2 inch piece of ginger, or galangal.(thai ginger.) finely chopped.
1 large green chilli,thinly sliced.
Kaffir lime leaves finely chopped.
200 ml / 7 floz of coconut milk.
1 tablespoon of fish sauce.
1 teaspoon of soft brown sugar.
175 g / 6 oz of peeled fresh pineapple, cut into bite sized pieces.
Sprigs of basil to garnish.
Method.
1. Scrub the mussels with a stiff brush and scrape off the beards and barnacles with a sharp knife. Wash well in cold water and discard any open mussels.
2. Pour about 2.5 cm / 1 inch of water into a large saucepan, add the chopped lemon grass and basil and bring the water to the boil. Tip in the mussels, cover the pan and steam the mussels for 3 to 4 minutes until they have opened and they are cooked. Drain the mussels, discarding the lemon grass, basil and any mussels that have not opened, set the mussels aside while preparing the sauce.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy based saucepan, add the curry paste, ginger, chilli and lime leaves and fry stirring, over a gentle heat for about 4 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the coconut milk, fish sauce and sugar and cook for 1 minute more.
4. Reserve a few mussels in their shells for garnish and remove the rest of the mussels from their shells. Add the shelled mussels and pineapple to the curry sauce. Stir gently and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.
Serve hot garnished with the reserved mussels and basil leaves.
Serves 4.
