Mussels Sambal

Photo: flickr user avlxyz

Ingredients

2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce

5 mediums garlic cloves peeled

1 piece fresh ginger - (1" long) peeled, and

coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons dried hot red-pepper flakes or to taste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

teaspoon ground turmeric

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 mediums red onions thinly sliced

1 can coconut milk - (14 oz) well shaken

2 tablespoons light-brown sugar - (packed)

teaspoon coarse salt

2 pounds mussels scrubbed, debearded

3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lime juice

Preparation

Make the sambal paste: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine chili sauce, garlic, ginger, hot pepper flakes, cumin, and turmeric. Process until almost smooth.

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add sambal paste, and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add onions, and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes more. Stir in coconut milk, sugar, and salt.

Add mussels, cover, and cook until mussels open and are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to serving dish, sprinkle with lime juice, and serve immediately.

This recipe yields 2 to 4 servings.