1mediumred Thai chili,or ½ dried Thai chili, finely chopped
1cancoconut milk,(400 ml) full fat or light
1tablespoonfish sauce
1mediumlime
Instructions
Scrub and debeard the mussels if they haven't already been debearded. Discard any that aren't tightly closed or that don't close when you tap them.
Slice the onions thinly on a 45° angle. Remove the tough outer leaves of the lemongrass stalk and cut it into short lengths, about 1 inch long.
Mince the garlic, remove the leaves from the cilantro stalks and chop the stems.
Slice the chili pepper very thinly.
Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the onions, lemongrass, garlic, and cilantro stems and cook, stirring until softened but not browned.
Add the coconut milk, Thai red chili pepper and fish sauce to the pot. Bring to a boil.
Add the mussels all at once. Cover the pot and steam the mussels for 4-5 minutes until opened. Discard any that do not open.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with a squeeze of lime juice and some fresh cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.
Notes
Thai red peppers are very hot. You may wish to wear gloves when handling them.See the post for tips for how to prepare mussels safely and how to clean and debeard them.