Recipe Archives->Asian Sea->Fried Mussels

[THAI] Hoi Tohd (Fried Mussels)

1 kilogram mussels 
1 cup tua phak yao (long beans), cut into 1-inch pieces (optional) 
1 cup tua ngok (bean sprouts) (optional) 
1/2 cup hom daeng (shallots), thinly sliced 
2 tablespoons kratiem (garlic), minced 
1 tablespoon nam prik pao (toasted chilies in bean oil) 
1 tablespoon prik ki nu daeng (red birdseye chilies), thinly sliced 
1 teaspoon nan tan sai daeng (brown granulated sugar) 
1 teaspoon prikthai (black pepper), freshly ground

Clean the mussels carefully removing the beards.

In a wok or skillet over medium heat, saute the shallots and garlic
until aromatic.

Add the mussels, stir fry on high heat for 1 minute, add the
remaining ingredients (except the beans and bean sprouts) and cover
the pan, reducing the heat to medium, for a further 5 minutes.
Shake the pan occasionally to move the mussels around and ensure
even cooking.

Check the cooking: discard any unopened mussels.

If you want a substantial meal, add the beans and stir fry until
heated through, then remove from the heat and add the bean sprouts,
stirring briefly, then transfer to the serving platter.

For a light snack, the mussels are eaten alone, using a convenient
half shell as a spoon/knife.  For a more substantial meal, the
mussels are transferred to a platter, and the beans, bean shoots
etc to another, then the veggies can be eaten with rice or noodles,
accompanying the mussels.

In many cases the mussels are eaten with the fingers, as this makes
it easier to dip them in the chosen, and usually fiery hot, dipping
sauce, such as nam prik kapi, nam prik kiga, or nam prik narok.

Printable version: fried-mussels.txt.