homemade: thai curry mussels

[a recipe] for steamed mussels in a thai curry sauce

serves 6-8 first course servings

[ingredients]

• 2 13.5-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk (3 1/2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
• 1 cup chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
• 1/2 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
• 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed, coarsely chopped (about 1/3 cup) or 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)
• 3 kaffir lime leaves or 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice plus 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime peel

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 3 pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded
• 4 plum tomatoes, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

[preparation]

Bring coconut milk to boil in heavy large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium; add curry paste and whisk until dissolved. Add next 6 ingredients. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes. Strain into bowl.

Heat peanut oil in large deep skillet over high heat. Add mussels. Sauté 2 minutes. Add strained curry sauce. Cover and cook until mussels open, about 4 minutes (discard any mussels that do not open). Transfer to large serving bowl. Sprinkle with tomatoes and cilantro and serve.

[+notes]

definitely shop for basil and kaffir lime leaves @ asian markets (like Ranch 99) for the best buy (plentiful, quality & cheap!)

mussels @ central market for occasional specials!

i at least triple/quadruple the amount of thai curry paste for this recipe

viet huong 3 crabs brand fish sauce is the best

FYI

found @ epicurious.com, original recipe from Yarrow Bay Grill @ Kirkland, WA
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Steamed-Mussels-in-Thai-Curry-Sauce-106614#ixzz19xJSQuhK