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Thai mussels are a sumptuous place to start any meal. This simple recipe has endless variations. It works well on the Barbie too. If you have a clay pot that is my favorite vessel for this dish but a cast iron Dutch oven works just as well. Well scrubbed, clean, debearded fresh mussels is what makes this dish so grab a scrub brush and put some elbow grease on those mussels. Discard any that don't close up during the scrubbing process.

Two large stalks of lemon grass chopped into two to three inch pieces
1/4 cup of coarsely chopped shallots
1/4 cup of coarsely chopped garlic
2-4 Thai peppers (omit for the faint of tongue)
1/4 cup of chicken stock
2 pounds of mussels
Enough whole fresh basil to cover everything
2 kaffir lime leaves as the crowning touch

Clean and debeard the mussels. Line the bottom of the pot with lemon grass. Next sprinkle the shallots and garlic over the lemon grass. Place the peppers at the four points of the compass. Add the chicken stock. Spread the mussels over everything. Bring the pot to a low boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Steam for three to five minutes or until mussels open. Discard any mussels that do not open. Top with fresh whole basil leaves using the Kaffir leaves as the crowning touch. Bring the whole pot to the table and let everyone dig in.

For variations on this theme substitute coconut milk for the fish stock . Add 1 tablespoon of spicy green curry sauce to either the chicken stock or the coconut milk.

Serve in shallow bowls with plenty of napkins. No utensils are necessary. We always use this as a starter dish but just add more mussels and some sweet coconut rice and you will can make a meal of it.

This method of steaming works well for shrimp and fish though the cook times are longer. If you get to feeling really fancy you can start with shrimp and fish, steam for seven minutes and then add the mussels.

If doing this dish on the Barbie remove from direct flame after it reaches a boil.

The method of steaming over lemon grass I learned about eighteen years ago from Kwanruan Aksomboon, Somchai Aksomboon and Diana Hiragana's "Thai Cooking from the Siam Cuisine Restaurant". The recipe is my own. This book is an excellent one if you are new to Thai cooking.

Learn more about this author, Betsy Young.
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