Ingredients
- 2 lemongrass stalks or 2 Tablespoons chopped lemongrass
- 2 Tablespoons neutral oil
- ½ large yellow onion
- 6 garlic cloves
- 2.5 lbs mussels
- 1 ½ cups crisp white wine (like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio)
- 2–3 bird’s-eye chili, thinly sliced
- 2 Tablespoons fish sauce
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 Tablespoons cold butter cut into cubes
- ½ cup (small handful) Thai basil leaves, cilantro, mint, or any combination roughly chopped
- 2 Tablespoons fried shallots (optional)
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Put the mussels in a large colander and rinse under running water.
- Pull any pieces of beard (the long hair like strands attached to the shell) off and set aside to drain.
- Cut the onion into thin slices and set aside.
- Wash the lemongrass stalks.
- Smash them lightly with a wooden spoon or the side of your knife.
- Cut off the top half and discard. Then slice the stalks into ½ inch pieces. (You can also use frozen chopped lemongrass if you prefer.)
- Next smack the garlic cloves with the knife or spoon to smash them roughly.
- Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat for several minutes and add the oil, and onions.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add the lemongrass, chiles, and garlic. Sauté briefly until fragrant, about 20 seconds.
- Add the mussels, fish sauce, ground black pepper, and wine.
- Stir the contents of the pot, cover with a lid, and steam until the mussels start to open, about 2-3 minutes.
- Stir the clams again, cover with the lid, and continue cooking until all of the mussels pop open, about 2-3 minutes. (If you still have 1 or 2 mussels that have not opened after all of the rest are open, discard them).
- Taste a little of the broth to measure saltiness and add a little salt as needed.
- Turn off the heat and add the butter, fried shallots, and the herbs.
- Stir again. Transfer to a deep serving platter or just serve the Vietnamese Mussels out of the pot and serve immediately.
Keywords: mussels, vietnamese, lemongrass, fish sauce, party food, appetizers, holiday, starters