This recipe is easy to prepare; cooking time takes only 10 to 30 minutes. This is best eaten together with pasta and French fries and can be mixed with other sea foods. In some parts of Europe, mussels are usually consumed with beer or any beverages that contains alcohol. It can be baked, boiled, steamed or friend, or fried in butter.

Mussels with lychee and coconut

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, finely sliced
1 stalk lemongrass, lightly crushed
1 bird’s-eye chilli, finely chopped
100ml/3½fl oz white wine
450g/1lb mussels, washed and de-bearded (discard any mussels that remain open after washing)
440ml/15½fl oz coconut milk
150g/5oz lychees (fresh or canned; peel them if using fresh)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander, to serve
lime wedges, to serve

Method
1. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick pan with a lid. Add the shallots, lemongrass stalk and chilli and fry until softened but not coloured.
2. Add the white wine to the pan and bring to a boil.
3. Add the mussels, coconut milk and lychees. Cover the pan with a lid and give it a good shake.
4. After 2-3 minutes, when the mussels have opened, season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Discard any mussels that haven’t opened.
5. To serve, spoon the mussels into bowls and garnish with the coriander sprinkled over the top and the lime wedges alongside.