Foolproof Thai Curry Mussels with Coconut Milk

Easy Thai Coconut Curry Mussels on white plate

Foolproof Thai Curry Mussels with Coconut Milk

Mussels are an easy appetizer or main dish for any night of the week. This quick preparation of creamy, Thai curry mussels in a coconut broth takes just 15 minutes to cook. Save time by using a store bought curry paste and a can of coconut milk to make this restaurant favorite at home.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Thai

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose

Keyword coconut milk stew, easy weeknight meal

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings as an appetizer or 2 as main dish

Calories 307kcal

Author Agile Test Kitchen

Equipment

1 3 qt saucepan or larger with a lid to cover
1 Heatsafe stirring utensil
1 cutting board and knife
1 Large bowl to wash the mussels

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb mussels washed and debearded, see Note 1
1 Tb oil
1 Tb yellow curry paste or curry paste of your choice, see Note 2
1 tsp garlic minced
1 tsp ginger and/or fresh lemongrass bulb minced, optional
1 can coconut milk (13.5-14oz) or light coconut milk
2 tsp coconut sugar or 1 tsp brown sugar, see Note 3
1 tsp fish sauce
1/4 tsp ground turmeric optional

Garnish

lime wedges
cilantro sprigs or sliced green onion

Instructions

Heat the oil over medium heat in at pot.
Add the curry paste, garlic, and ginger.Stir fry for about 30 seconds to a minute to bloom the flavors. I like to add the hardened fat from the coconut milk to give the curry paste some extra fat to fry in.
Add the coconut milk, sugar, and fish sauce to pot. Add turmerid if using.
Add the cleaned and drained mussels. Bring to a simmer (low bubble) over medium high heat. Cover, lower the heat to medium, and cook for 5-8 minutes, depending on the size of the mussels. Stir every 2-3 minutes to make sure the mussels get equal access to the hot liquid.
The mussels are cooked once they have opened. Discard any mussels that did not open.
Serve hot. Garnish with fresh lime wedges and cilantro.

Notes

1. Cook mussels as soon as possible after purchasing. As my fishmonger says, "You do not want to mess around with shellfish." They die quickly. Store in the fridge and cover lightly with a damp cloth or paper towel to keep them from drying out.
2. Using a store bought curry paste saves time, but they also very widely in saltiness. I used the Mae Ploy brand which tends to be salty, and thus requires less additional salt/tamari. I've found the Thai Kitchen brand to be not salty at all and requires double the addition of salt or tamari. Adjust to your level of saltiness by tasting the broth before adding the mussels. Add more fish sauce or salt as needed.
3. Similarly, adjust the sweetness to your liking. This recipe does not use much sugar, and the result is not very sweet but more like a hint of sweetness to balance out the spices in the curry paste. Add more sugar to the broth before adding the mussels if that is what you prefer.
4. If you continue to cook the mussels too long after they've opened, they will overcook, start shrinking, and falling off the shell. Take care not to leave the pot to avoid overcooking.
5. If you prefer to dump everything in a pot all at once, that will work too. Stir frying the curry paste and aromatic vegetables separately just adds a little more nuance and develops more distinct flavors.

Nutrition