Breaking the 'R' Rule: Indulging in Green Thai Curry Mussels Regardless of the Month

It's largely accepted that you should only eat shellfish when there's an 'R' in the month. According to this tradition, seafood treats like oysters and mussels are best enjoyed from September through April. I'm not sure about this, I'd be happy to tuck into a delicious bowl of mussels and a large cold glass of white anytime of the year to be fair ... But if we are going to be purest about it, I say given how fast 2024 speed by last year, we need to move fast if we are going to get several servings of these Green Thai Curry Mussels in before Spring 2025 gives way to Summer ... I'm just saying!!

Whipping Up Green Thai Curry Mussels

In reality, we are now lucky enough in todays market to be able to eat mussels year round, especially as we are taking a speedy short cut using a pack of ready prepared supermarket Garlic butter mussels ... And anyway, there's something about breaking the rules with food that makes it taste all the better .. Want to break the 'R' rule in style? Then a fragrant pot of Green Thai Curry Mussels is the perfect dish, decadently combining the essence of Thai flavours with fresh mussels. Eating mussels in a rich green Thai curry is an incredible experience. The natural brininess of the mussels blends beautifully with the creaminess of the coconut and the complex spices. This combination hits all the right notes—sweet, savoury, and spicy—perfectly complemented by the herbs.

The Recipe

Ingredients

1 tin coconut milk

50 g (~3 Tbsp) green curry paste

1 cup chicken stock

2 Tbsp palm sugar, finely chopped (can substitute brown or granulated sugar)

1½ - 2 Tbsp fish sauce

3-4 kaffir lime leaves, roughly torn

1½ cup bamboo shoots, canned

1 cup Thai basil

¼ red pepper, julienned

Pack of ready prepared supermarket Garlic butter mussels

Method

Add curry paste and sauté, stirring constantly over medium heat for about 2 minutes until aromatic. If paste sticks to the bottom of the pan, you can deglaze with a little bit of the coconut milk.

Add kaffir lime leaves, chicken stock, coconut milk, palm sugar and 1 Tbsp fish sauce. Bring to a simmer and let simmer gently for 10 minutes whilst you prepare the mussels as per the pack instructions

Once the curry is done simmering, add peppers to cook through slightly, then remove from heat.

Mix together the curry sauce with the mussels and garlicky juices, stir to combine, Garnish with Thai basil and serve immediately.