Boston Bay Mussels

Ingredients

1 cup peeled shallots
1/2 cup of dried shrimp
3/4 cup tamarind pulp
1 cup dried chillies
1/2 peeled garlic
1 bag of Boston Bay mussels, they arrive alive and de-bearded, but check for any debris missed.
Raw sugar, soy sauce, lime juice and salt for seasoning
A handful of coriander leaves for garnishing

Method

Soak the dried shrimp in cold water for an hour and in a separate bowl, do the same with the chillies.

After an hour, drain both the shrimp and the chillies.

Using a mortar and pestle or a food processor, combine the shallots, shrimp, tamarind pulp, chillies and garlic to form a paste.

In a pan on medium heat, fry off the paste using olive or peanut oil for a few minutes until the paste smells fragrant and cooked through.

Sprinkle a little sugar into the mixture to balance the sourness and to create a nice, caramelised colour.

Drop the cleaned mussels into the pan and cover with a lid. After a few minutes, the shells should start to open. Discard any that haven’t opened after about 5 minutes.

Season the entire mixture with a little soy sauce, lime juice and salt to your own personal taste.

Spoon the mussels onto a big serving plate, garnish with coriander leaves and serve immediately.

Credits: Claude's, Woollhara - Taste of Sydney 2013