Pretty Easy Lemongrass-Chile Mussels
These are very hot little firecrackers from the orient. They can be used to add spice to almost any oriental dish. They dry very easily and can be stored and used this way for a long time.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola, grapeseed, or peanut oil
4 shallots, thinly sliced
2 stalks lemongrass, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 cups lager and/or low-sodium chicken broth
3 (1/2-inch) slices ginger
1 Thai chile, thinly sliced (substitute a serrano if you want more mild heat)
2 tablespoons unrefined cane sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded (see above)
1 to 2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup torn fresh basil or mint
Instructions:
Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add shallots, lemongrass, and garlic and cook until shallots are translucent and soft.
Add beer and/or broth (or a mixture of the two), ginger, and chile and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until broth is well flavored with aromatics, about 10 minutes.
Stir in fish sauce and sugar, taste, and add more as desired (it should taste spicy, sweet, and a tad salty at this point). Add mussels to pot, cover, and cook until shells open, about 5 minutes.
Remove mussels from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving broth mixture and discarding any unopened shells, and divide mussels among serving bowls. Stir 1 tablespoon of lime juice into the broth and taste it. If you want it to be a bit brighter with a more lime flavor, add the second tablespoon of juice. Stir the herbs into the cooking liquid, spoon the liquid over mussels, and serve immediately.
From aidamollenkamp.com