Mussels with dry coconut
Serves 6
This coastal dish from the South Western state of Maharashtra is quick and easy to make and really delicious. I think of mussels as summer ingredient but only because I always ate them under the sun, by the sea and always on holiday. The flavours of this dish are well rounded, tartness from the tomatoes contrasts wonderfully with the sweetness from the coconut and mussels and the spices adding background flavour. I serve this dish with some of the mussels in their shells and others taken out and stirred in to the curry for an appetising and dramatic plate. The masala should be thick enough to coat the mussels and get into any shells.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F and oil a loaf tin.
Mix together the semolina, yoghurt, water, vegetables, ginger, chilli, spices and salt. Taste and adjust if necessary.
Heat the oil in a medium non-stick pan and fry the onion until golden brown. Add the chillies, ginger and garlic pastes, salt, spices and tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes have softened and start to break down.
Meanwhile, cook the mussels in a large pot with a little boiling water until they have opened, around 3 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside. Boil down this liquid for a few minutes as the tomatoes cook. Reserve the water.
Stir in the coconut, mussels, coriander and a splash of the cooking water.
1 kg mussels, scrubbed under water and de-bearded
1 small-medium onion, finely chopped
3 tbs. vegetable oil
125ml plain yoghurt
60g desiccated coconut
2-4 green chillies, left whole
4 good cloves garlic made into a paste
10g peeled fresh ginger made into a paste
3 tomatoes, chopped into large dice
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tbs. garam masala
Handful of chopped fresh coriander and stalks