Malaysian inspired Mussels. A taste of the tropics in your kitchen!

Malaysian Mussel 

I saw this recipe while watching Mad Hungry with Lucinda Scala Quinn in the Hallmark channel. Mussels and cocunut is a staple ingredient in some of the dishes in the Philippines, where i grew up. And watching this episode made me miss home and the memories of my childhood. The only foreign ingredient to me was the red curry paste. Did you know that there are a lot of variety of curry paste out there? Well, thats the first for me :)  So,  I just picked one that said red curry paste in one of those exotic spice stores and started cooking. Soon enough, this dish became a favorite in my kitchen , my daughter loves it. Just make sure that your mussels are really fresh. Now, the curry can really give you a little kick of spice.  I am sharing you this recipe and I hope you enjoy it as we did. Happy cooking!

Malaysian Mussel recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons safflower oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tablespoons)
• 1/2-inch piece ginger, minced (2 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon red curry paste
• 1 cup coconut milk
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 pounds mussels, beards removed and scrubbed clean
• 12 cilantro sprigs, chopped
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Stir curry paste into garlic and ginger and continue to cook 1 minute more. Add coconut milk, salt, and pepper to skillet and bring to a boil.
3. Add mussels to skillet, cover, and cook just until mussels open, 2-3 minutes. Transfer mussels to a large serving bowl with a slotted spoon. Pour coconut curry sauce over mussels, garnish with cilantro and lime and serve immediately.

Travel to Portugal and Spain via Jamaica,NY

O' Lavrador caters to a variety of authentic dishes from Portugal and Spain. Delicious sea foods from fresh grilled sardines and codfish. Try their Bacalhau Assado, its grilled codfish in garlic and olive oil. They also have a variety selection of meats that are prepared in the traditional way.
Rustic lamps and bolted ceilings will be seen throughout the restaurant (right picture below).
If you just want to have a drink and watch a sporting event their bar is a good place to be (left picture below).

They also celebrate the feast of  Saint John every third weekend of June. They open the parking lot to accommodate patrons who wish to enjoy a good dinnner and watch the feast celebration. There are a lot of raffle games, music, dancing and food. I always look forward for my favorite grilled sardines. Yummm...

Complimentary Olives while you wait for your orders.

Feijoada ( assorted pork meats with beans and a variety of  green leaf vegetables )

A delicious Sangria for the ladies!


The above main and sports bar picture are courtesy of O'Lavrador Restaurant.

Do you have a favorite Portuguese and Spanish food?

Fresh fruits and vegetables in your neighborhood.

A sea of different kind and color of apples.

You can get this apples for as low as 50 cents depending on the seasons.

  Pomelo is the largest citrus fruit and can weight up to 3lbs

Persimmons are very abundant during this time of year. They go for  a few pieces for a dollar.

Starfruit, a crunchy and juicy fruit that can be mostly found in Asia. People from the Phillipines call this fruit Balimbing (Carambola ).

The bamboo shoot are rich in vitamins and minerals. They are low in fat and calories.  Every dieters dream.

These fresh supermarts has alot to offer besides fresh fruits and unique vegetables. They also have a lot of fresh sea food and imported products mostly from Asia. You can find them all around Queens especially in Elmhurst and Flushing, NY

Hongkong Supermarket
82-02 45th avenue
Elmhurst,NY 11373


Great Wall Supermarket
77-00 Queens Blvd
Elmhurst,NY 11373