Mussels in white wine, Thai style, from Alexey Zimin
4 servings
30 minutes
Mussels in white wine Thai style is an exquisite dish that combines aromatic coconut sauce, tender seafood, and spicy accents of Thai cuisine. Thai gastronomy is renowned for its balance of flavors—here you find the fresh tartness of lime, the warm spice of saffron and cayenne pepper, the softness of coconut milk, and the rich taste of white wine. This dish is perfect for those who appreciate depth of flavor and harmony of ingredients. Historically, Thai cuisine has absorbed influences from Chinese and European traditions, and this recipe is a wonderful example of such fusion. It suits both a festive dinner and a cozy evening with a glass of dry white wine perfectly. Each opened mussel shell is a small gastronomic revelation filled with the richness of marine aroma and spicy exoticism.
1
Mussels are washed and scraped.
- Mussels in the shell: 1 kg
2
Onion and garlic are chopped finely.
- Shallot: 2 heads
- Garlic: 4 cloves
3
In a deep skillet, vegetable oil is heated, and representatives of the lily family — garlic and onion are sautéed until soft.
- Vegetable oil: 50 ml
- Garlic: 4 cloves
- Shallot: 2 heads
4
After that, they need to be poured with wine, add a lime leaf and a stalk of lemongrass, and simmer for ten minutes.
- Dry white wine: 500 ml
- Kaffir lime leaves: 1 piece
- Lemongrass: 1 stem
5
Pour the mussels into the pan and cook until they open.
- Mussels in the shell: 1 kg
6
Immediately ruthlessly throw away those that did not open.
7
Transfer the opened ones to a separate bowl, strain the broth into a saucepan and place it on low heat, adding coconut milk, a pinch of saffron, and cayenne pepper.
- Coconut milk: 100 ml
- Saffron: pinch
- Ground cayenne pepper: to taste
8
Boil the sauce for five minutes, mix with chopped cilantro, and pour the resulting mixture over the mussels.
- Chopped cilantro (coriander leaf): 50 g