Fusion Kitchen · Dinner
Coconut Mussels with Scandinavian Spices
Tom Kha and Aquavit Mussels
A Scandinavian-Thai original, mussels steamed in a tom kha broth of coconut milk, galangal, and lemongrass spiked with aquavit so the Scandinavian moules marinière tradition and the Thai aromatic soup base produce a broth where the caraway-dill botanicals of the spirit and the coconut-lime depth are structurally present and extraordinary together.
$$$
15 minsPrep
15 minsCook
30 minsTotal
EasyLevel
Nutrition per serving
385Calories
38gProtein
16gFat
18gCarbs
5gSugar
2gFiber
780mgSodium
64mgChol
Goes well with
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international
Instructions
1
Prep
Discard any mussels that are open and do not close when tapped firmly. Finely slice 2 shallots, 3 garlic cloves, 2 lemongrass stalks (white parts), 1.5 thumbs galangal, 1 small chilli. Tear 4 kaffir lime leaves. Measure aquavit, coconut milk, fish sauce, honey, lime juice, coriander, and basil.
2
Saute
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large lidded pot over medium-high heat. Add shallots, cook 2–3 minutes until softened. Add garlic, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and chilli; stir 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
3
Build
Pour in aquavit, let sizzle 30 seconds without flaming. Stir to deglaze. Add coconut milk, fish sauce, and honey; stir to combine and bring to a simmer over medium heat, about 2 minutes.
4
Steam
Add 900g mussels to the pot, cover with lid, and steam over high heat 4–5 minutes, shaking the pot once halfway through, until all mussels open. Discard any that remain closed. Stir in lime juice over low heat.
5
Finish
Taste the broth—honey depth and coconut sweetness should register alongside aquavit botanicals. Scatter coriander and Thai basil over the top.
6
Plate
Ladle mussels and broth into two deep bowls and serve immediately with crusty baguette or rye bread and lime wedges.
Recipes use AI and Edamam. Always check for allergens before cooking. Spotted something wrong—email us at hello@grubplanit.com.
Serves
2 portions ·
2 adults, 0 over 10, 0 under 10
Ingredients
- 900g (31.7 oz) fresh mussels
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 shallots
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 stalks lemongrass
- 1.5 thumbs fresh galangal
- 4 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 small fresh red chilli
- 60ml (1/4 cup) aquavit
- 300ml (1 1/4 cup) coconut milk
- 1.5 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 15g (small handful) fresh coriander
- 10g (small handful) fresh Thai basil
- lime wedges
- crusty baguette