Source: www.gaslightgourmet.tv
Region: Thailand
Rating: Untried
Place peeled, roasted garlic, ginger, shallots and roughly chopped green chilies into a mortar and pound with pestle until a smooth paste is achieved. Scrape out contents and reserve.
Toast peppercorns, cumin, and coriander in a dry pan until slightly brown and fragrant. Transfer to mortar and grind with pestle to a fine powder. Add basil, kafir leaves and cilantro and grind with pestle into a paste. Add roasted garlic mixture back to mortar and combine with spice and herb paste. Allow to sit 1/2 hour before using.
In a large wok with a tight fitting lid, add peanut oil and preheat until oil is smoking. Add a healthy dollop of the paste that is in mortar and cook until the green "flecks" are bright and everything is fragrant. Add shrimp paste and coconut milk. Bring to a rapid boil and reduce volume by half over high heat. Add tamarind pulp, fish sauce and sugar (if desired) to balance seasoning. When boiling again, add mussels. Stir to coat. Cover and cook for 6 – 7 minutes. Discard any mussels that do not open after this time.
To serve, evenly distribute mussels between bowls. Bring the sauce back to a boil and reduce volume by 1/3 to intensify flavor. Ladle the sauce over the mussels. Garnish with cilantro leaves and peanuts. Serve with limes.
Ingredients
Directions
Place peeled, roasted garlic, ginger, shallots and roughly chopped green chilies into a mortar and pound with pestle until a smooth paste is achieved. Scrape out contents and reserve.
Toast peppercorns, cumin, and coriander in a dry pan until slightly brown and fragrant. Transfer to mortar and grind with pestle to a fine powder. Add basil, kafir leaves and cilantro and grind with pestle into a paste. Add roasted garlic mixture back to mortar and combine with spice and herb paste. Allow to sit 1/2 hour before using.
In a large wok with a tight fitting lid, add peanut oil and preheat until oil is smoking. Add a healthy dollop of the paste that is in mortar and cook until the green "flecks" are bright and everything is fragrant. Add shrimp paste and coconut milk. Bring to a rapid boil and reduce volume by half over high heat. Add tamarind pulp, fish sauce and sugar (if desired) to balance seasoning. When boiling again, add mussels. Stir to coat. Cover and cook for 6 – 7 minutes. Discard any mussels that do not open after this time.
To serve, evenly distribute mussels between bowls. Bring the sauce back to a boil and reduce volume by 1/3 to intensify flavor. Ladle the sauce over the mussels. Garnish with cilantro leaves and peanuts. Serve with limes.