Thai Basil Mussels Food

STEAMED MUSSELS IN THAI BASIL-COCONUT SAUCE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Rinse mussels under cold water. Set in refrigerator until ready to use.
• Place all 'Basil-Coconut Sauce' ingredients in a food processor. Process well. Taste test for salt, adding more fish sauce if not salty enough. If too salty for your taste, add a little more lime juice. Add more chili for a spicier sauce. Set aside.
• Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons oil and swirl around, then add the galangal or ginger, shallots or onion, garlic, and chili (if using). Stir-fry 2 minutes.
• Add white wine and mussels, stirring gently. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to simmer (medium-low) and cover with lid to steam 3 minutes.
• Take off lid and stir gently. If most of the mussels have opened, they are ready to eat. Discard the ones that haven't opened.
• Reduce heat to low. Remove lid and add the basil-coconut sauce. Stir gently. As soon as the sauce is warm, this dish is ready (30 seconds to 1 minute).
• To serve, slide mussels and sauce onto a serving platter, mounding them into a pile. Sprinkle with chopped basil and fresh coriander . If desired, serve with a fresh French loaf, or garlic toast to soak up the juices. Enjoy with a bottle of nice wine and a loved one!

SPICY THAI MUSSELS WITH GREEN PAPAYA

Steps:

• In a non-reactive saucepan, coated with the canola oil over medium-high heat, saute the jalapenos, garlic, shallots, green papaya, and lemongrass until the shallots are soft, about three minutes. Add the mussels, tomatoes, wine, fish sauce, lime juice, butter, cilantro, and Thai basil. Allow the mixture to simmer covered, until all the mussels have opened, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Immediately pour the mussels with broth into a large bowl and garnish with the scallion greens. Beverage: Gewurtztraminer

THAI RED CURRY MUSSELS

Steps:

• Heat grill to high. Heat the oil in a heavy Dutch oven on the grates of the grill until shimmering. Add the lemongrass, curry paste, wine, coconut milk, fish sauce, and lime juice and bring to a simmer, whisking. Add the mussels, cover the pot, and let steam until opened. During the last minute of cooking, add the cilantro and basil. Serve from Dutch oven into individual bowls, discarding the lemongrass.

STEAMED MUSSELS IN THAI CURRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring coconut milk to boil in heavy large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium; add curry paste and whisk until dissolved. Add next 6 ingredients. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes. Strain into bowl.
• Heat peanut oil in large deep skillet over high heat. Add mussels. Sauté 2 minutes. Add strained curry sauce. Cover and cook until mussels open, about 4 minutes (discard any mussels that do not open). Transfer to large serving bowl. Sprinkle with tomatoes and cilantro and serve.
• Available at Indian, Southeast Asian, and Latin American markets as well as many supermarkets.
• ** Available at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets.

MUSSELS WITH CHILI, GARLIC AND BASIL

Steps:

• Make a paste from the chilies, garlic and coriander using a mortar or small food processor.
• Stir fry this paste in a wok or frying pan with the oil for about one minute, use a pan you have a lid for and large enough to hold the mussels.
• Add the oyster and fish sauce, stir and then add the stock and the mussels.
• Cover and cook on a medium heat, or until the mussels have opened and are cooked.
• Taste the sauce or it needs extra fish sauce or water.
• Stir in the basil, arrange the mussels on a dish, discard any mussel that has not opened and pour the sauce over them.

STEAMED MUSSELS IN THAI BROTH

Steps:

• In a large (6-quart) pot over medium-low heat, combine mint, cilantro, basil, lemon grass, shallots, garlic, curry paste and tom yum. Stir until herb leaves wilt, about 5 minutes. Add sake, lemon juice and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Strain broth into another large pot. Add mussels, tomato and lime leaf. Cover, and place over high heat. Cook until mussels open, about 5 minutes. Transfer to serving bowls, and garnish with chopped cilantro, basil and mint. Serve immediately.

MUSSELS WITH BASIL CREAM

Steps:

• Cook onion and garlic in butter in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add wine and mussels and cook, covered, over moderately high heat until mussels just open wide, 6 to 8 minutes. (Discard any mussels that have not opened after 8 minutes.) Transfer mussels with a slotted spoon to a serving bowl, then transfer cooking liquid to a blender along with cream, basil, and pepper and blend until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Season sauce with salt and pour over mussels.