Cook and author Alice Zaslavsky shares her simple and delicious mussel curry recipe and shows us a way to enjoy an under-valued seafood that’s packed with nutrients.
Alice says: ‘I’ve taken the below curry paste recipe from my mate chef Jerry Mai from Pho Nom in Melbourne, after she cranked it out during her Prahran Market #EdibleAdventures Chef Challenge. It’s been a staple in our household ever since because it’s super easy and goes with everything.
‘The real art in this dish is in not overcooking the mussels. Once they’re in the wok, watch them like a hawk – and give them the odd shake to loosen up any stubborn shells.’
INGREDIENTS
1 bag of local Mussels, debearded & rinsed
25g Galangal, peeled and sliced
25g Ginger, peeled and sliced
100g Turmeric, peeled and sliced
6 Garlic Cloves
2 Lemongrass stalks, smashed and sliced
4 Shallots, peeled
8 Kaffir Lime Leaves, stem removed
15g Palm sugar
250ml of Coconut milk
1-2 tbsp. Fish sauce (to taste)
Jasmine rice, cooked via absorption on the next hob
Coriander leaves to garnish
1 tbsp. Coconut oil (for frying)
METHOD
1 Blitz curry paste ingredients (everything except the mussels, the coconut milk and the rice) in a food processor or crush in a mortar & pestle.
2 Pop 3 generous tablespoons of the curry paste into a wok with the coconut oil, fry off on medium heat until fragrant (about 3 minutes)
3 Meanwhile, in a separate pot, cook some rice (this is for mopping up the sauce, so definitely just an optional extra)
4 Add the coconut milk into the wok and allow everything to simmer together on low-medium heat for another 5 minutes.
5 Pour in the mussels, cover with a lid, crank the heat and give the wok an occasional shake until all of the shells open (3-4 minutes)
6 Serve with the rice and a good helping of fresh coriander leaves on top.
National Stroke Foundation advocate Alice Zaslavsky is a self-confessed food nerd, Kitchen Whiz host and 2012 MasterChef contestant. Alice has witnessed the impact that stroke has on survivors and their carers and supports the Foundation’s mission to stop stroke, save lives and end suffering.
Below is a video of Alice and her mother sharing their stroke story.