The best mussels I’ve ever had are from Shoreditch House, located at The Winchester Hotel in Sea Point. I’ve tried almost every meal on their menu, but their mussels will always have my heart.
Knowing just how delicious they are, I had to recreate my own version - not by following the actual recipe, but by trusting my tastebuds and letting my memory of that bowl guide me.
The answer? Ginger and coconut!
So, I took a little inspiration from my favourite bowl at Shoreditch House and turned it into my own Nqobile interpretation and it was pretty close to perfection!
Here’s my attempt, enjoy!
Ingredients
- 400 g mussels, cleaned
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- 2 big knobs fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tsp garlic, chopped
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 30 ml olive oil
- 30 g butter
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp Aromat
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- Juice of ½ lemon
Method
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a pot over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent.
- Add the grated ginger and garlic, then sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the turmeric, Aromat, salt and black pepper. Stir well and cook the aromatics and spices for about 30 seconds.
- Pour in some of the coconut milk and stir to combine, allowing the sauce to gently simmer and develop its flavour.
- Add the cleaned mussels and toss gently to coat them in the sauce.
- Pour in the remaining coconut milk, cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the mussels have opened if you bought them closed.
- Finish with fresh lemon juice and gently stir through the sauce.
- Serve immediately with crusty bread, rice or chips.
