take 4 - thai style steam mussels

mar 16, 2024 (sat).............made 4th attempt

benchmark video 

i) you tuber (pailin's kitchen) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEfQqHvUIrA

introduction

- an incident triggers me to explore new way to cook mussels coz i usually cook with white wine sauce

- then ran into a thai steam mussel video..............after 2 trials, found another better video

main ingredients

- 1kg mussels

- 3-4 stems x lemongrass

- 5 x kaffir lime leave

- 6-7 x galangal

- 1/4 cup onion/ shallot

- 3 cloves garlic

- 3-4 thai chilli

- 1 cup cherry tomato

- 1 tablespoon fish sauce

- 1 cup chicken/ pork stock (replaced by water + oyster sauce + sugar)

- 1 cup thai basil

- 1/4 cup cilantro

- 1/2 cup tomato

- 1-2 tablespoon lime juice

steps

1. ready a bowl of water, add salt and some metal utensils (claimed quicker for the mussel to spit the dirt inside)

2. brush every mussel...........drop those which are opened (ie dead)...............see the dirt from mussels

3. put the cleaned mussels into a bowl of salt water.............soak for few hours

4. bash lemongrass

5. diced garlic and onion, slice galangal, finely chop lemongrass, chop thai celery

6. mix water with oyster sauce and pinch of sugar (alternate stock)

7. cut half cherry tomato

8. drain mussels

9. select saute mode...........high temperature for 10 mins

10. when hot, add oil

11. add garlic and onion

12. add alternate stock and then lemongrass & galangal

13. add kaffir lime leaves

14. add thai chilli

15. add fish sauce

16. add part of cherry tomato

17. when boiling, add mussels

18. close lid and let it cook for ~3-4 mins <-- depend on when mussels fully open up.........switched off

19. open lid and add thai basil, thai celery and rest of tomato.................mix well

20. close lid and let it stay for another ~2 mins

21. mix well

22. squeeze fresh lime juice

23. mix well and done

taste

-you can pair it with toasted bread.............but i do not prepare anything

-instead of specially prepare another dipping sauce which usually taste sharp and strong, the soup left in the pot is already a flavorful stock to eat with

-mussels not overcooked.............looks plump.............tender texture

-taste of stock itself are dimensional : natural subtle sweet (from mussel, onion and tomato), natural citrus (tomato and lime juice), exotic asian herbs flavor (thai/ sweet basil and lemongrass), little spicy.............this is a harmonious match with mussel without too overwhelming.............otherwise it will dominate the taste of whole dish

areas of improvement

-i am very happy with this attempt

-better cook when mussels in season (ie winter when temperature is low)............though you can get mussel year round, personally found them sweeter in winter