peeled and pounded into a paste in a pestle and mortar
4 garlic cloves
peeled and pounded into a paste in a pestle and mortar
salt
to taste
½tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp garam masala
3 tomatoes
chopped into large cubes
1kg/2¼lb mussels
scrubbed and de-bearded
60g/2oz desiccated coconut
handful fresh coriander leaves and stalks
chopped
Directions
Heat the vegetable oil in a medium non-stick pan and fry the onion until golden brown.
Add the chillies
ginger and garlic pastes
salt
turmeric
garam masala and tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes have softened and start to break down.
Meanwhile
cook the mussels in a large pot of boiling water for about three minutes
until they have opened. Remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve the water.
Add the coconut
coriander and a splash of the cooking water to the spices and tomatoes and stir. The spice mixture should be thick enough to coat the mussels and enter the shells.
Remove some of the mussels from their shells and leave others in their shells
for a dramatic and appetising effect. Add the mussels to the spice mixture and stir thoroughly. Serve with basmati rice.
