MUSSELS WITH THAI TWIST

You can use any kind of mussels as long as the date in the bag is not its last day for use.  Yes, a bag of commercially harvested mussels always has a date on its tag.  Read it so you know how fresh your mussels are.

For a change, I wanted my mussel dish with a Thai flavor twist to it.  So i used the following ingredients I had:

HOW TO MAKE IT:

Ingredients:

1 small shallot minced

3 cloves of garlic minced

1/2  can of unsweetened coconut milk

3 TB safflower or canola oil

2 TB chili paste basil

2 TB Thai basil leaves

1 or 2 stalks of lemon grass cut in 1-1/2 inch lengths

Juice of 1/2 lime

Fish sauce to taste (1 tsp)

1 bag of fresh mussels

Sauté The garlic and shallot till translucent.  Add the coconut milk and all other ingredients except the mussels.  Cover pan and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Add in the clean fresh mussels, and squeeze the lime juice over.  Cover the pot and cook for about 20 minutes till all the shells open.  Serve.

If you cook a long time, the meat of the mussels start falling off into the pot and they will appear dry.  Best served right away.

May eat it with rice or toasted baguette with garlic rubbed on it.