Curried mussels in 30 minutes

×

Expand

Michele Bogle

Recipe for curried mussels

Surprisingly, curry was first developed in Britain. A combination of Indian spices was altered in a dish to accommodate the English palate.

In the mid-seventeenth century, when the British East India Company was trading with Tamil merchants along the coast of southeast India, they acquired a blend of spices that the Tamil people called “Kari.”  

During this period, Kari is described by members of the British East India Company in the oldest known book on Portuguese cuisine, Manual de Cozinha Da Infanta D. Maria. The sauce appeared in its anglicized form in a best-selling cookbook called The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy by English recipe writer Hannah Glasse in 1747.

The British, then, referred to all of the spicy sauces as “curry,” adding them to plain, boiled and cooked meats. The sauces began popping up in coffee houses all over Great Britain by 1809 and have gained international popularity since. 

This month’s recipe series features 30-minute dishes. A traditional and authentic curry is a lengthy process to create. It requires layers of ingredients to achieve the depth of flavours most are accustomed to. The recipe below is a modified version that saves time but is equally delicious.

The base for the sauce in this recipe uses Kitchen King, which can be found in your local grocer or online at Amazon.ca. Check ingredients for potential allergens. Though a delicious blend of spices on its own, the added elements give the curry a more rounded taste.

This sauce is also delicious with chicken or shrimp, a side of rice and a choice of vegetables.

Why not pair this dish with a Gewürztraminer, Riesling, or Pinot Grigio? These wines provide a balance of acidity and sweetness that cuts through the spice of curry without masking its flavour profile.

This recipe calls for a mild heat. You’ll feel a little at the back of your throat when you taste this sauce. Note that when a protein is added, or if a side dish like rice is added, the intensity of the heat diminishes. To increase the spiciness, add another teaspoon at a time of Kitchen King. If this recipe is a little too spicy, add milk.

You’ll want enough hearty bread to soak up the excess sauce!

30-minute curried mussels recipe

PREPARATION TIME:   30 min   YIELDS:   4 servings

Equipment

Large stock pot with lid, medium-sized bowl, strainer, food brush, mixing spoon, cutting board, kitchen knife, whisk, measuring spoon, measuring cup

Ingredients

4 ½ dozen mussels, debearded

⅓ cup butter

2 cups heavy cream

½ cup milk

2 large shallots, diced

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp thyme or the leaves of 8 fresh stems

1 tsp salt

3 Tbsp MDH Kitchen King spice mix

2 Tbsp cornstarch

Loaf of French or Italian bread

Instructions

Step 1

In a large stock pot, on medium-high heat, add the butter, shallots, garlic and thyme. When the butter melts and is sizzling, lower the heat to medium. Simmer the mixture for 10 minutes until the onions become translucent.

Step 2

While the onion mixture cooks, clean/debeard and drain the mussels. Discard any cracked or open mussels. The extra half dozen allows for any you may have to discard before and after the cook.

Step 3

Reduce the heat to low before pouring the cream and milk into the pot in order to avoid scorching the liquid. Whisk in the Kitchen King spice, cornstarch, and salt. 

Return the heat to medium. Adjust to taste.

Step 4

Increase heat to high while gently adding the mussels to the pot. With the stirring spoon, carefully move the mussels around the sauce to ensure full coverage.

Cover and lower heat to medium. Cook for 8 minutes. Discard any mussels that did not open during the cook. Serve.