Turmeric & Wild Ginger Mussels with Thai Basil

Recipe by Louis Tikaram

Serves: 2
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the mussels
2 tbs vegetable oil
2 tbs Ayam fish sauce
1 cup vegetable stock
1/2 cup Ayam coconut cream
500 g mussels, cleaned
1 tbs thick tamarind water
1 bunch Thai sweet basil, torn

For the paste
5 long red chillies, deseeded and roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves
1 tbs coriander roots, chopped
10 g fresh red turmeric, peeled and roughly chopped (or 1 tsp dried turmeric)
10 g krachai (wild ginger)
1/2 tsp Coles sea salt

To serve
1 lime, cut into wedges
Coriander or Thai basil flowers

Method

Using a food processor, blitz the chillies, garlic, coriander roots, turmeric, and wild ginger into a smooth paste. Alternatively, this can be done with a mortar and pestle.

Heat the vegetable oil in a hot wok, then add the paste, scraping and stirring until it turns golden brown.

Deglaze the wok with fish sauce, vegetable stock, and half the coconut cream. Stir well to combine, then add the mussels, tossing to coat them in the sauce. Cover and steam for 2 minutes. Remove the lid and gently shake the wok to ensure the mussels cook evenly. Discard any mussels that remain closed.

Add the tamarind water, Thai sweet basil, and the remaining coconut cream. Gently stir all the ingredients together until well combined.

Serve the mussels with lime wedges and garnish with coriander or Thai basil flowers for a fragrant and fresh finish.

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