Thai Red Curry Mussels

• 1 shallot, chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 3-in. pieces and crushed with a mallet or hammer
• 1 can (about 14 oz.) coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste*
• 2 tablespoons Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
• 3 pounds mussels, scrubbed and beards* pulled off
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves, plus slivered leaves
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

1. Saute shallot and garlic in oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until very fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add lemongrass and cook 1 to 2 more minutes. Pour in coconut milk, then stir in curry paste, fish sauce, and sugar. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil.
2. Add mussels, stir until well coated, and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mussels open, 5 minutes. Stir in chopped basil and spoon into wide, shallow bowls, discarding any unopened mussels. Garnish with slivered basil and serve with lime.
3. *Find curry paste in your market's Asian-foods aisle. A mussel's "beard" is the clump of filaments it uses to attach itself to rocks.
4. Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

shallot, garlic, peanut oil, stalk lemongrass, coconut milk, red curry, fish sauce, brown sugar, mussels, fresh basil

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/thai-red-curry-mussels (may not work)