This recipe is from the team at NZ House & Garden magazine.

A homemade curry paste makes the freshest, most fragrant curry – far better than you can buy in a jar. Big on flavour, yet light and healthy, this is the ideal meal for seafood fans.

THAI RED CURRY MUSSELS

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes | Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Thai red curry paste

4 long red chillies, roughly chopped

1 stalk lemongrass, tender bulb part only, chopped

2 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

4 cloves garlic, peeled

1 tbsp shrimp paste in oil (from Asian food stores)

½ tsp each ground coriander and cumin

1 tbsp chopped coriander roots (not the green leaves)

2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped

2 tbsp grated palm sugar or soft brown sugar

Zest of 1 lime, finely grated

¼ cup water

Mussels

2 tbsp vegetable oil

3-4 tbsp Thai red curry paste (adjust depending on preferred level of heat)

½ cup tomato puree

400ml can coconut milk

3-4 tsp Asian fish sauce

1.5kg fresh mussels, cleaned and debearded

Thai basil or Vietnamese mint leaves, to garnish

Lime wedges, to serve

Method

Thai red curry paste: Put all the ingredients into a mini food processor and process on high for up to a minute, until smooth. Scrape into a bowl or airtight container. This makes about 1 cup – the excess can be stored for up to 3 days in the fridge, or frozen for later use.

Mussels: Heat oil in a large, heavy-based pan set over medium-high heat. Add the curry paste and cook for 30 seconds then stir in the tomato puree. Stir in the coconut milk and season with fish sauce to your liking. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.

Add the mussels, cover the pan and simmer for about 5 minutes or just until the mussels have opened; watch carefully so they don’t overcook. Serve as soon as mussels have opened. Garnish with Thai basil or Vietnamese mint. Serve with lime wedges on the side, to squeeze over.