curry mussles

Maybe not as good as the secret menu at the crown pub, but at $4.99 a lb, they sure come close..... we'll call it an ode.

time: 30 min. feeds: 3

you will need:

1 onion, skinned and quartered
3 cloves of garlic, skinned
1 serano chili, de-stemmed and seeds removed
yellow curry powder (or turmeric, coriander, red pepper, salt, cumin) to taste
2 cans of coconut milk
4 Tbs brown sugar
juice of 1/2 a lime
FRESH mussels
2 cups white or basmati rice
some celantro


what to do:

1) Add 4 cups of water to a saucepan on high heat, bring to boil, add rice, reduce to simmer, cover and cook until done (15-20 min)

2) Meanwhile, put the onion, garlic, and chili in a food processor or blender until it's a fine paste. Put in a wok or large skillet and cook on high until your eyes stop burning and the onion turns soft,5- 7 min. Add your curry spices and cook, 2 more min.

3) Add the coconut milk, sugar, and lime. Now is the time to adjust the seasonings: more curry is a must. If it's too limy, add more sugar and spice. Adjust to your taste, then bring to a boil.

4) Add the mussels, stir, and cover. Cook in boiling sause for 5 minutes, stirring once during that interval. Mussels are done when they open. Discard any that have not opened in that time.

5) Serve with rice and cilantro and plenty of napkins. To eat; break off the one side of the mussel, dip the other in curry, and eat... yum!