This dish should take only about 20 minutes to prepare – less time than a Thai restaurant takes to deliver. Remember, you can’t have too many herbs, and if you have time, soak the mussels in cold water for up to two hours beforehand.

Serves 4

1.5 kg live mussels
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk
3 red shallots, finely sliced
1 mild red chilli, finely sliced lengthways
2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
3 tbsp fresh mint leaves

To serve

Steamed rice
1 lime, cut into wedges

Scrub the mussels and pull out their little beards and discard. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the curry paste and fry for 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, shallots and chilli, and bring to the boil. Add the mussels, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Shake the pan and remove the open mussels with tongs. Cover and repeat the shaking process, this time discarding any mussels that stay shut. Stir the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar into the sauce. Return the mussels to the pan, add the mint and heat through. Serve with steamed rice and the lime wedges.

For a quick prawn and courgette curry instead, add 2 sliced courgettes to the coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes. Add 1 pack of cooked large king prawns along with the fish sauce and lime juice, then simmer for 1 minute. Serve with rice.

Explore Food & Drink

• Gordon Ramsay

• Heston Blumenthal

• Recipes

• Wine

• Real Food

• Anjum Anand

• Eating Out

• Video Recipes

Times Recommends

• English wine has always been possible
• AA Gill reviews Foxtrot Oscar
• The authentic taste of Italy: Veneto