Mussels in Lemon-Coconut Curry

Mussels in Lemon-Coconut Broth

By Takeaway (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons

Why do most people resort to a bowl of fresh salad for quick lunch when it there are so many yet quick possibilities to make it exciting? Take mussels in lemon-coconut curry for instance. It hardly makes you spend half an hour in the kitchen and yet you get to treat your palate with a bowl of fragrant mussels.

Drilldoggy has a weakness for Asian food and can’t wait to add a Thai twist to any ingredient whenever possible. No wonder this mussel dish has ended up with Thai flavors owing to the coconut milk in it. The combination of coconut milk with the fresh mussels is amazing while the garlic, bacon and lemon juice makes sure that it is packed with a wallop of flavors. In case you love spicy food, feel free to add a dash of Sriracha sauce or a dollop of sambal to pep it up with a hint of fiery heat. Or add a splash of fish sauce for more flavors. With a versatile dish like this, you can morph it the way you want to suit your palate. You can even try swapping the ingredients to bring out new flavors in the same dish. While pancetta can be used instead of bacon for more rich flavors, any other seafood like shrimp, squid or scallops fits nicely in this dish as well.

Once done, ladle it into a serving bowl and enjoy it with crusty bread for a filling lunch.

 

Ingredients:

Serves: 2-3

  • 8 oz cooked mussels
  • 1 ½ cups coconut milk
  • 6 oz pancetta
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • Handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:

  • Stir fry the pancetta in a large skillet, over moderate flame until they crisp up and the fat is rendered.
  • Dump the mussels into the skillet along with the garlic and pour in the coconut milk.
  • Heat the mixture until it starts boiling and reduce it to a simmer.
  • Continue to simmer over slow flame for 6-8 minutes or until the cooking liquid becomes thicker.
  • Remove from heat and stir in a splash of lemon juice.
  • Sprinkle the ground pepper as well as chopped parsley on top and stir them into the dish.
  • Serve right away.