Description
For seafood lovers, these mussels stir-fried with thai roasted chili paste is the dish for you. The meaty green mussels cooked in this ultra-flavorful special sauce and finished with Thai fresh basil leaves make this dish feel like a special meal. And it's quick to come together in less than 25 minutes!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds green shells mussels. I used large New Zealand half-shell green mussels.
- 2 tablespoons Nam Prik Pao. Thai roasted chili paste. Homemade is best, but store-bought is fine to adjust the flavors with more fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, or lime juice.
- 3 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1-5 Thai red chilis, minced. Omit or use red bell pepper instead as a substitute for less heat.
- 1 tablespoon oil. Use a high smoking point and neutral flavored oil. Do not use olive oil.
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Thai oyster sauce. Adds extra umami flavors to the mussels.
- 1 tablespoon Thai thin or light soy sauce.
- 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Use brown, white, coconut, monk fruit, or palm sugar.
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar. Adds a touch of tangy balance to the salty, spicy sauce.
- 1 1/2b cups Thai sweet basil leaves. Italian basil works fine as a substitute. Add 1/2 cup extra if using Italian basil.
- 1 cup chicken broth or stock. Use any stock or broth available to you.
Instructions
- Clean your mussels well by rinsing them under cold water. If using green mussels, gently scrub the shells and remove hair or "beards."
- In a small bowl, combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar. Stir and set aside.
- Pound the chilies and garlic together in a small mortar and pestle. Or mince both very finely for frying in oil.
- Use a wok or a large dutch oven, and heat over medium-high heat with oil. Add the pounded chili paste mixture to the hot oil and fry for 15-20 seconds.
- Add the sauce mixture and the roasted chili paste. Fry the sauce for about 3-4 minutes or until the sauce bubbles and thickens.
- Adds the mussels into the wok or pot. Carefully stir them together using a metal spatula. Scoop the sauce from the bottom to drizzle over the mussels. Make sure the pieces are evenly coated and get cooked. Stir fry for only 3-4 minutes.
- Add Thai basil and chopped Thai chilis (red bell peppers). Cook for 1 more minute. Turn the heat off and plate in a large serving dish. Garnish with chopped Thai basil leaves or thinly sliced green onion. Chilled white wine pairs very well with this dish. Give it a try!
Notes
- Use a wok or pot that you don't mind getting scratches or scrapes from the shells of the mussels. Dutch ovens or cast iron pots are great for making this recipe.
- For added vegetables, chop them small in 1/4 inch pieces.
- Suggested vegetables to add are bell peppers, purple or white onion, corn, snow peas, and carrots.
- Add chopped Thai red fresh chili, red chili flakes, ground white or black pepper, whole young peppercorn, or chopped jalapenos for extra heat.
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- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Seafood, easy
- Method: stir fry
- Cuisine: Thai