Ingredients
| 3 tablespoons plain oil such as sunflower | |
| 1 tablespoon belachan/dried shrimp paste | |
| 5 tablespoons fermented bean paste | |
| 60ml tomato passata or purée | |
| 2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges | |
| ½ teaspoon sugar | |
| 2 tablespoons tamarind purée | |
| 1kg mussels, cleaned | |
| chopped chilli, coriander, spring onions or chives, mantou (steamed buns) or soft rolls, to serve |
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Instructions
| 1. | Heat the oil in a very large pot over a medium heat. |
| 2. | Stir fry the belachan for 2 minutes then add the bean paste and stir fry for a further 5 minutes. |
| 3. | Add the passata and tomatoes along with 60 ml water (or mussel liquor if you have any) and cook for 4 minutes, stirring regularly, then stir in the sugar and tamarind purée and bring to bubbling. |
| 4. | Add the mussels, cover with a lid and cook for 6 minutes, stirring a couple of times throughout the cooking. |
| 5. | Spoon the mussels onto a serving plate and discard any that are unopened. |
| 6. | Cook the sauce for a couple of minutes more to thicken it a little, then pour over the mussels and scatter with chopped chilli, coriander, spring onion and/or chives. |
| 7. | Serve with soft rolls to mop up the juices. |
Recipes & food styling Fiona Smith Photography Aaron McLean Styling Fiona Lascelles