Ingredients

Method

• 3 t vegetable oil
• 50 g green curry paste
• 40 g palm sugar
• 4 Thai lime leaves, sliced julienne
• 5cm piece lemongrass, bruised
• 1 cup chicken, pork or vegetable stock
• 400 g cleaned fresh mussels
• 400 ml can coconut cream
• fish sauce, to taste
• oyster sauce, to taste
• a handful basil (preferably holy basil)
• ½ lime, to garnish
• jasmine rice, for serving

Method

Ingredients

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, add the curry paste and fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Do not let it burn. Add the palm sugar, lime leaves and lemongrass. Allow the palm sugar to melt and caramelise slightly. You might need to add a dash of coconut cream to prevent the curry paste from burning.

2. Deglaze the pan with the stock. Once the broth comes to a simmer, add the mussels and coconut cream and cover.

3. Steam until the mussels open, discarding any that do not open. Season to taste with fish sauce and oyster sauce. Garnish with the basil and lime and serve with jasmine rice.

Photograph: Elsa Young
Recipes: Jes Doveton
Food production: Khanaya Mzongwana

Find more seafood recipes here.