We have the very good fortune of living next to Krishanu Dasgupta, a generous and amusing neighbour, and a truly fabulous cook. Our kitchens and balconies mirror each other across an interior courtyard, and since we are both always in our kitchens, we see each other all the time. We can actually converse in normal tones of voice from our respective kitchens, and often do – Krish will ask if we have any blanched almonds, or do we know how to can 5 bushels of San Marzano tomatoes. He’ll climb up our fire escape and give us tastes of strange cakes and experimental jams. We’ll look for the pizza stone or turkey roaster and then remember – Krish has got it. These marvellous impositions earn us dinner invitations, which are usually for 7, although since it’s a five course meal, it’s never ready before 10. It’s well worth the wait.
Krish has an elaborate and welcoming kitchen, with Indian cookware in hammered brass dangling from hooks and racks. His boxes, jars, cruets, crocks, and curious tools of stone and wood create an inviting, elemental environment where he conjures the Kerala mountains for us. It’s always ‘the most common peasant food’, which means hand-made bread, and a curry made from a spice box containing such marvellous things as brown cardamom and delicate webs of whole mace.
He’ll have you tasting raw chillies and drinking aquavit past midnight on a Tuesday. (You can count on a good cook to be a bad influence.) These mussels are among the most delicious things Krish has made for us, and very simple to make. Serve with a simply perfumed rice, and a floral white, like Viognier or Gewürztraminer.
Krish’s Konkani Mussels
2 lbs. of mussels
juice of half a lime
½ tsp. ground turmeric
2 tbsp. oil
12 curry leaves (or bay leaves)
2 dried red chilies, snipped into small pieces
6-8 garlic cloves, vey finely chopped
250 g fresh or thawed frozen grated coconut
2 tbsp. chopped fresh coriander
salt
Clean and drain mussels thoroughly. Toss them in a bowl with the lime juice, turmeric and some salt, and set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp. oil in heavy saucepan, add curry leaves, chiles and cumin, then add garlic and sauté for 1 min. Add onions and sauté until soft and pale. Stir in the coconut and cook a further 5 minutes, until nutty and fragrant.
Drain the mussels, adding the juices to the coconut and onion mixture. Heat the reamaining tbsp. of oil in a large heavy-based frying pan. Add the mussels and sauté briskly for 3-4 minutes, stirring or tossing occasionally. Do not overcook.
Add the mussels to the coconut mixture. Mix well, stir in coriander and check the seasoning. Cook very briefly, to blend the flavours, and serve immediately. Best eaten with your fingers.
Krish is the WORST influence! I have often seen you from that kitchen window when I’ve visited Montreal, and in Krish’s company, I often find myself housebound for three days, albeit with short runs to the stores for groceries and wine, cooking up some great old recipe from his trove of 50 plus recipe books. He is a bon vivant, if there ever was one!
We made those kerala mussels the last time I was there — spectacular, spectacular. I had no idea turmeric could be used in such generous amounts without entirely overpowering the other ingredients, but in this case, it works!
Hope to see you across the balcony again one day!
This looks interesting. I would like to try it. However, the recipe says to “add onions and sauté until soft and pale,” but there are no onions in the ingredient list.
Thanks for your comments and encouragement! I hate it when recipes have mistakes in them. I’ll ask my neighbour about the onion and fix the error.
My thanks, David.