Mussels with lemongrass and coconut milk

If you're looking for some really good fish and seafood, then Cornwall is the perfect place to visit! Didier and I had local mussels prepared Asian style at The Portreath Arms, and they were just amazing! They were steamed in a fragrant, aromatic broth of Thai curry, ginger, coconut milk and Asian vegetables. The spicy dish has always stayed with me and inspired me to create my own version. But before I share my recipe, let me tell you all about lemongrass.

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Cooking with lemongrass

Lemongrass is a grassy herb that has a fresh and flavourful aroma. It's a staple of Southeast Asian cuisine, where it’s used in all kinds of dishes. But it's also becoming increasingly popular in Western cuisine, which is great news.

What is lemongrass

Lemongrass, also known as citronella, is a tropical grass that originally comes from India and Southeast Asia, but these days it grows in all the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It looks a bit like a green onion, with a pale bulb at the bottom but a woody stem – and you can actually use most of it. The white part of the stem is edible, and the fibrous top part can be used to flavour liquids.

The taste of lemongrass

Lemongrass is highly aromatic with an unmistakably zesty lemon flavour and fragrance, yet without the acidity of lemon. Furthermore, it has notes of mint, ginger and geranium, which makes it a real treat for the senses.

Lemongrass in the kitchen

Lemongrass is a really versatile herb that can be used in all sorts of dishes. You can chop the white part finely or mash it into a purée, which is great for salads, sauces, marinades and curries. The hard upper part can be cooked in soups and stews. Lemongrass is also delicious when it is used in sweet dishes, such as panna cotta, crème brûlée and ice cream. I love to infuse coconut milk with lemongrass to make a delicious rice pudding. Serve with mango purée for an absolutely heavenly dessert. Lemongrass also makes a great healthy tea, which is perfect for when you want to relax and unwind.

Let's get started with lemongrass

So, what do you need to get started with lemongrass? Most importantly, you'll need a chopping board and a sharp, large knife, like a chef’s knife. It's also useful to have a mortar and pestle or a spice blender.

First, remove the outer layer of the lemongrass stalk. You will see that the layers underneath are a bit softer.
Cut the hard base of the stalk.
Cut the stalk in half exactly where the pale part turns greenish.
Now you can slice, chop, grate, blend or mash the pale part.
To release the flavours from the hard green part, break the fibres with the top edge of your chef's knife or a meat mallet. You can also fold the top stem over a few times.

Combining flavours

Lemongrass and coconut are a match made in heaven. You'll find it in curries and soups with fish and chicken. Lemongrass also pairs well with citrusy flavours. Think ginger, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, chili peppers, star anise and pepper, as well as fresh herbs like coriander, Thai basil, parsley, rosemary and mint.

Where can you buy lemongrass?

You can buy lemongrass fresh in Asian supermarkets, but you can also find it in regular supermarkets and specialty shops more and more these days. When you're choosing lemongrass, make sure the stems are nice and green at the top and not dried out. You can also find lemongrass dried and chopped or ground into powder in the spice section of the supermarket.

Help, I can't find fresh lemongrass!

If you can't find fresh lemongrass, just use dried or ground lemongrass instead. The aroma won't be as strong, but it'll still work really well. Use a teaspoon of lemongrass powder for each stalk. You can also add a few drops of lemongrass essential oil if you like. The taste will be perfect. Just be careful not to use too much as it's quite strong. Another option is to add finely chopped lemon or lime peel, ginger, coriander or kaffir lime leaf.

Storing lemongrass

You can store fresh lemongrass really easily in the fridge. If you wrap the stems in plastic film or put them in a plastic container, they'll stay good for two to three weeks.

You can keep the white soft part whole, chopped or pureed in the freezer for about three months.

Lemongrass is healthy

Lemongrass is great for more than just cooking – it's good for you too! It's got lots of antioxidants and is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent. It's also great at fighting off fungi, bacteria and viruses. Diffusing a few drops of lemongrass essential oil cleanses and purifies the air in your home. Lemongrass is also great for stomach complaints, is good for the skin and is even used to treat certain heart diseases in Africa. Last but not least, candles and body lotion infused with lemongrass are great repellents for mosquitoes and other biting bugs.

Recipe: Mussels with lemongrass and coconut milk

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Ingredients for 2:

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 shallot
1 clove of garlic
2 lemongrass stalks
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 to 3 chili peppers
500 ml chicken stock
1 tablespoon palm sugar
1 can of coconut milk
4 kaffir lime leaves
8 sprigs of coriander
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 red bell pepper
2 baby bok choy
3 sprigs of Thai basil
1 kg mussels

Herbs and vegetables

Finely chop the shallot, garlic and the white part of the lemongrass stalk. Use the top of your knife to break the fibres of the green part. Slice the chili pepper into thin rings. Then, take the leaves off the coriander and basil stalks. Save the coriander stalks for the coconut broth.

Roast the red bell pepper over a flame until the skin is blackened, then wrap it in aluminium foil and leave it to cool. Peel the pepper, take the seeds out and cut the flesh into thin strips.

Slice the baby bok choy diagonally into wide pieces.
The coconut broth

Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan. Add the shallot and let it sweat without colouring. Then add the garlic, lemongrass, ginger and half of the chili peppers and simmer for a few minutes.

Pour in the chicken stock along with the sugar and reduce the liquid by half.

Then add the coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves and coriander stems. Simmer and reduce for 10 minutes.

Strain the coconut stock through a sieve, then add the lime juice and fish sauce and taste to check the seasoning. If you think there's not enough salt, add a bit more fish sauce. Finally, add the bell pepper, the bok choy and the rest of the chilli, then let the coconut broth simmer gently with the vegetables.
The mussels

Meanwhile, take a pan with a lid and add the mussels. Steam them on high heat, shaking the pan a few times, and remove any mussels that haven't opened. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the mussels to the hot coconut stock. Add two ladles of mussel juice, along with the coriander and basil leaves. Mix well and serve with crusty sourdough or baguette.

When I was in Thailand I learnt to make a really tasty red curry with duck.

Thai red curry with duck