Appetizers Recipes - Mussels in Black Bean Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 15ml/1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 2.5cml/1/2 in piece fresh root ginger, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 fresh red chili, seeded and chopped

• 15ml/1 tbsp black bean sauce

• 15ml/1 tbsp sake or dry sherry

• 5ml/1 tsp caster (superfine) sugar

• 5ml/1 tsp sesame oil

• 10ml/2 tsp dark soy sauce

• 20 cooked (New Zealand) green-shelled mussels   

• 2 spring onions (scallions), 1 shredded and 1 cut into fine rings

Serves 4

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Method:

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a small frying pan until very hot. Fry the ginger; garlic and chili with the black bean sauce for a few seconds, then add the sake or sherry and caster sugar and cook for 30 seconds more.

2. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the sesame oil and soy sauce. Mix thoroughly, using a pair of chopsticks or a wooden spoon.

3. Place a trivet in the base of a heavy pan, then pour in boiling water to a depth of 5cm/2in. Place the mussels on a heatproof plate that will fit over the trivet. Spoon over the sauce.

4. Sprinkle the spring onions over the mussels, cover the plate tightly with foil and place it on the trivet in the pan.

5. Steam the mussels over a high heat for about 10 minutes or until the mussels have heated through.

6. Lift the plate carefully out of the pan and serve immediately.

Note: Large green-shelled mussels are perfect for this delicious dish, although smaller ones will work just as well. Buy the cooked mussels on the half shell, and take care not to overcook them, or they will become tough and rubbery.