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Steamed Mussels · Coconut Curry

Steamed Mussels in Coconut Curry Broth

4

Hands-free cooking

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Reading aloud

Before you start

Gather your ingredients

  • Swaps for vegetable oil

    Instead of vegetable oil

    • Another neutral oil: The same amount. No difference.
    • Melted butter: The same amount. Richer, buttery flavor; cakes are a little less moist and firmer once cool.
    • Light olive oil: The same amount. "Light" olive oil tastes mild.

    All 4 swaps for vegetable oil

  • Swaps for shallots

    Instead of shallots

    • Yellow or red onion: The same amount, chopped fine. Sharper and less delicate.
    • Green onion whites: The same amount. Milder and fresher.

    More for shallots

  • Swaps for garlic

    Instead of garlic

    • Garlic powder: ⅛ tsp for each clove. Mellower and sweeter, with no bite.
    • Jarred minced garlic: ½ tsp for each clove. Milder and slightly sour from the preserving liquid.

    More for garlic

  • Swaps for fresh ginger

    Instead of ginger

    • Ground ginger: ¼ tsp ground for each 1 tbsp grated fresh. Warmer and less bright, with no zing.
    • Ginger paste (jar or tube): The same amount. Close; slightly salty or sour from preservatives.

    More for ginger

  • Swaps for brown sugar

    Instead of brown sugar

    • White sugar + molasses: 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp molasses (light) or 2 tbsp (dark). The same as store-bought.
    • White sugar: The same amount. Crisper, paler cookies with less caramel flavor.
    • Light and dark brown sugar: The same amount, either way. Dark brown sugar tastes stronger and makes bakes a bit darker and moister.

    All 4 swaps for brown sugar

  • Swaps for kosher salt

    Instead of salt

    • Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
    • Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.

    More for salt

  • Swaps for lime juice

    Instead of lime juice

    • Lemon juice: The same amount. Milder aroma; still bright.
    • Bottled lime juice: The same amount. Flatter and more sour; fine in cooked dishes.
    • Rice vinegar or white vinegar: Half as much. Sour without the citrus aroma.

    More for lime juice

  • Swaps for fresh cilantro

    Instead of cilantro

    • Dried cilantro: 1 tsp dried for each 1 tbsp chopped fresh (a third as much). Dried cilantro has almost no flavor; skip it as a garnish and add more of the other seasonings.
    • Flat-leaf parsley + lime zest: The same amount of parsley, plus a little lime zest. Fresh and green, without the soapy taste some people get from cilantro.
    • Thai basil or mint: Half as much. Sweeter and more perfumed.

    More for cilantro

Step 1 of 10

Rinse the mussels in a colander under cold running water, scrubbing off any grit and pulling off any beards.

Step 2 of 10

Tap any open mussels on the counter. Throw away any that don't close within a minute, and any with cracked shells.

Step 3 of 10

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft.

Step 4 of 10

Add the garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant.

Step 5 of 10

Add the curry paste and stir until it darkens slightly and smells toasty.

Step 6 of 10

Stir in the coconut milk, water, brown sugar and salt and
simmer (how to simmer) Simmer Cook liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles breaking the surface now and then. 1. Bring the liquid up over medium-high heat.2. As soon as bubbles rise steadily, turn the heat down.3. Adjust until only a few small bubbles break the surface every second or two.4. Stir now and then and check that it hasn't crept back to a boil. Done when: You see lazy, small bubbles, not a rolling boil. A "bare" simmer has just a bubble here and there. Safety: Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to simmer: mistakes to avoid
.

Step 7 of 10

Add the mussels, cover tightly and steam, shaking the pot once or twice, until the shells open.

Step 8 of 10

Throw away any mussels that haven't opened after another 2 minutes covered.

Step 9 of 10

Stir the lime juice into the broth.

Step 10 of 10

Ladle the mussels and broth into bowls over rice and top with cilantro.

All done

Enjoy!

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Ingredients

  • Swaps for vegetable oil

    Instead of vegetable oil

    • Another neutral oil: The same amount. No difference.
    • Melted butter: The same amount. Richer, buttery flavor; cakes are a little less moist and firmer once cool.
    • Light olive oil: The same amount. "Light" olive oil tastes mild.

    All 4 swaps for vegetable oil

  • Swaps for shallots

    Instead of shallots

    • Yellow or red onion: The same amount, chopped fine. Sharper and less delicate.
    • Green onion whites: The same amount. Milder and fresher.

    More for shallots

  • Swaps for garlic

    Instead of garlic

    • Garlic powder: ⅛ tsp for each clove. Mellower and sweeter, with no bite.
    • Jarred minced garlic: ½ tsp for each clove. Milder and slightly sour from the preserving liquid.

    More for garlic

  • Swaps for fresh ginger

    Instead of ginger

    • Ground ginger: ¼ tsp ground for each 1 tbsp grated fresh. Warmer and less bright, with no zing.
    • Ginger paste (jar or tube): The same amount. Close; slightly salty or sour from preservatives.

    More for ginger

  • Swaps for brown sugar

    Instead of brown sugar

    • White sugar + molasses: 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp molasses (light) or 2 tbsp (dark). The same as store-bought.
    • White sugar: The same amount. Crisper, paler cookies with less caramel flavor.
    • Light and dark brown sugar: The same amount, either way. Dark brown sugar tastes stronger and makes bakes a bit darker and moister.

    All 4 swaps for brown sugar

  • Swaps for kosher salt

    Instead of salt

    • Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
    • Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.

    More for salt

  • Swaps for lime juice

    Instead of lime juice

    • Lemon juice: The same amount. Milder aroma; still bright.
    • Bottled lime juice: The same amount. Flatter and more sour; fine in cooked dishes.
    • Rice vinegar or white vinegar: Half as much. Sour without the citrus aroma.

    More for lime juice

  • Swaps for fresh cilantro

    Instead of cilantro

    • Dried cilantro: 1 tsp dried for each 1 tbsp chopped fresh (a third as much). Dried cilantro has almost no flavor; skip it as a garnish and add more of the other seasonings.
    • Flat-leaf parsley + lime zest: The same amount of parsley, plus a little lime zest. Fresh and green, without the soapy taste some people get from cilantro.
    • Thai basil or mint: Half as much. Sweeter and more perfumed.

    More for cilantro