Red Curry with Tinned Mussels
Amongst my favorite meals to cook at home, Thai curry is an easy, umami-rich, one-pot meal that’s as vibrant in color as it is in flavor. This one features kabocha squash, crisp bell pepper, and beech mushrooms gently simmered in red curry and coconut milk with some fish sauce for funk, fresh-squeezed lime for brightness, and heaps of Thai basil, scallion, and cilantro for an aromatic crunch, all ladled over springy glass noodles that just beg to be slurped until your bowl is clean and your mouth is set joyfully ablaze. The tinned mussels by Matiz España it calls for add a silky, briny touch that tie the whole thing together and will keep you coming back for more.
2 tins mussels in olive oil & vinegar, drained
1 can organic coconut milk
1 tbs virgin coconut oil
¾ cup red Thai curry paste
½ kabocha squash, peeled, cut into finger size pieces
1 green bell pepper, 1 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, 1 inch pieces
2 bunches Thai basil, rough chop, saving a few choice pieces to side (sub basil)
½ bunch cilantro, rough chop, saving a few choices pieces to side
6 green onions, fine chop
1 cup beech mushrooms, rough chop
2 tbs fish sauce
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup of water as needed
½ lb glass noodles, cooked and rinsed
Turn your Instant Pot or heavy dutch oven to saute on medium. Once hot, add the coconut oil and squash. Stir until well-coated with oil and begins to soften. Add the curry paste and stir until well-coated and begins to caramelize, but not burn. If paste sticks to the bottom, add a tablespoon or two of water to deglaze. Add the coconut milk and stir to combine. Cover and seal and pressure cook on high for 2 minutes and then manual release. Alternatively, simmer in dutch oven until fork-tender, about 10-15 minutes.
When pin drops, uncover. If any squash has stuck to the bottom add a little water and gently stir to incorporate. Add the peppers and mushrooms and stir to combine. Cover and again and pressure cook on high for 0 minutes and then manual release. Alternatively, simmer in dutch oven until cooked, but not yet soft, about 3 minutes.
When pin drops, uncover. Stir in fish sauce, lime juice, and fresh chopped herbs (saving the unchopped piece and some of the green onion to the side for plating). Gently stir in all but three mussels per serving (to be plated on top).
To plate, place about a cup of the cooked glass noodles in a high-rimmed bowl. Use a ladle to spoon curry over them being sure to catch lots of goodies. Place fresh herbs on top and finally the three reserved mussels.
Enjoy!
Serves 4-6
