1 stalk lemongrass, bruised with the back of a knife along the stem, then cut into 2-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced finely
1 tablespoon red panang paste (found in Asian isle)
11 ounces lite or regular canned coconut milk (regular, full fat)
1 lime, zested, cut in half and juiced; reserve halves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or flat leaf parsley
4 pounces mussels, scrubbed well and debearded
Serving suggestion: toasted points or crusty bread (wheat or gluten-free)
Instructions
Preheat a wok or skillet on high. Add the oil and sauté the shallots, lemon grass, garlic and ginger until fragrant,about 1 minute. Add the panang paste and incorporate.
Add coconut milk, 2 halves of squeezed lime and ½ of zest, stir to cook and blend flavors, reducing heat to medium-low and simmering for 3-4 minutes.
Quickly add mussels, stir to begin to release juices and to coat with sauce, bring to a boil.
Place lid on, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 5 minutes. Check to see if mussels are open and stir.
When all mussels have opened add remaining zest and juice. Stir to allow sauce to coat mussels.
Discard any unopened mussels, lemon grass stalk, and the lime shells, squeezing out any remaining juices with tongs.
Garnish each plate with cilantro/parsley and add toasted bread to soak up sauce.
Recipe by Go Dairy Free at https://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/thai-mussels