At our Community Kitchen cookery classes, we’re all about sharing our favourite tips, tricks and recipes. And who better to help us bring the vibrant flavours of Sri Lanka to your table than our good friend and regular teacher, chef Kanthi of the acclaimed Spice Circuit Kitchen.
He calls his Mussels in Coconut Sauce “the perfect partner to a sunset and a G&T”, and we couldn’t agree more. This vibrant recipe is packed with protein and omega-3, making it a perfect way to enjoy fresh mussels this summer.
Ingredients
- 200g mussels
- 1 inch pandan leaf
- 2 lime leaves
- 100g onions, sliced
- 1 green chilli, chopped
- 2 tsp ginger, chopped
- 2 tsp garlic, chopped
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 300ml coconut milk
- 50ml oil
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 4 cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 8–10 samphire stalks (optional)
- Salt, to taste
Method
- Start by washing and cleaning the mussels.
- Next, heat the oil in a deep frying pan or saucepan over medium heat. Add pandan and lime leaves, and sauté for about one minute. Then, add ginger and garlic, stirring for a couple of minutes until the garlic turns golden brown.
- Add salt, green chillies and onions. Sauté until the onions become soft. Stir in turmeric powder and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Pour in the coconut milk and, once it heats up, add the mussels. Cover the pan and cook until the mussels open, which should take approximately 2–3 minutes. Just before removing from the heat, squeeze in some lime juice and add the samphire.
- Finally, mix in the chopped tomatoes, then transfer the mussels, along with the sauce, into a bowl. Enjoy your dish with a glass of Spice Circuit Gin, garnished with a slice of ginger and a few curry leaves, and topped with tonic water or ginger ale.
The Brighton & Hove Food Partnership
