SERVES 4
This is an adapted version of the mussel dish cooked in the town of Telicherry in the Indian state of Kerala. Telicherry is known for its peppercorns. Hence the use of generous amounts of ground peppercorns in this recipe. Gewurztraminer or Riesling wines go well with spicy Indian food, and I use one of those two wines in cooking this dish. The traditional preparation uses tamarind paste or kokum (garcinia indica) that gives it the sour flavor. I have used a mix of lime juice and tomatoes to create the sourness. Along with wine, it also produces a gravy that can be mopped up with some warm toasted bread.
2 lbs fresh mussels, cleaned
1 tsp ground turmeric
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
3 tbsp garlic, chopped
1 large red onion, finely sliced
2 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
1 cup white wine, Gewurztraminer or Riesling
Juice of 1 lime
3 tbsp black peppercorns, coarsely ground
4 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
1 Soak the mussels in cold water and stir them with a slotted spoon to release any residual sand and grit. Using the slotted spoon remove the mussels from the water. Discard mussels that have cracked or broken shells or have shells that have opened.
2 Put the mussels in a large stockpot with ½ tsp of the ground turmeric and ½ tsp of salt. Add enough cold water to cover the mussels and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer till the mussel shells have opened, about 3 minutes. Drain the mussels by gently pouring the content of the stockpot in a colander.
3 Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds, garlic, and onions and fry till the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the remainder of the ground turmeric and salt and the chopped tomatoes, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Add 1 cup of the white wine and simmer for about 2 minutes.
4 Add the mussels to the tomato-onion mixture and cook while stirring gently, about 2 minutes.
5 Add the lime juice, black pepper and chopped cilantro. Stir gently to mix and remove from heat. Serve immediately.
Serve with toasted bread to soak up the gravy.
Kommentare