Tahong (Mussels Philippine style)

• 3 lb. fresh green mussels, debearded
• 4 to 7 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 md. onion, minced
• 4 to 5 tbsp. cooking oil
• 1 piece ginger, diced
• slivered
• 1 dash MSG (optional)
• 1 tbsp. rock salt
• 6 tbsp. Asian fish sauce
• 1 handful hot chili plant leaves
• 1 cup spinach leaves, soaked and rinsed
• Water, to taste

1. Heat the cooking oil in a wok until you can hear it on the wok, but don't wait until it smokes (if it does it's too hot).
2. Saute the garlic, onions, and ginger until red-brown toasted.
3. The aroma should be so heady it'll fill the entire kitchen.
4. Throw in the salt, or better yet the fish sauce.
5. Follow quickly with 1 cup of water (you sorta douse the whole sizzling thing).
6. Bring the broth to a rolling boil then pour in the mussels and cover.
7. Wait about 8 minutes then add the leaves.
8. Properly cooked mussels remain about the same size as the shell they came in.
9. Overcooked is when they're severely shrunken.
10. You'll know if they're undercooked.
11. The sweet/saltiness of the broth will vary according to how much water you put in.
12. Some like it with less water.
13. Others like to sip the broth along with the meal so they add more water.
14. Serve with steaming hot rice.

fresh green mussels, garlic, onion, cooking oil, ginger, rock salt, fish sauce, handful hot chili plant leaves, spinach leaves, water

Taken from www.foodgeeks.com/recipes/19037 (may not work)