This is a flavorful, aromatic one-pot rice dish inspired by coastal Chinese home cooking (particularly from Fujian, Guangdong, and Zhejiang regions), where fresh mussels are the star.
The mussels release their sweet, briny juices into the rice as it cooks, infusing every grain with deep seafood umami.
Combined with ginger, garlic, scallions, and a touch of soy and Shaoxing wine, the result is a comforting, restaurant-quality seafood rice with tender mussels, plump grains, and a glossy finish.
Ingredients (serves 3–4)Main ingredients
- Fresh mussels ( — 800 g–1 kg (about 2–2.2 lbs; scrubbed and debearded)
- Long-grain rice (jasmine or Thai jasmine preferred) — 2 cups (about 400 g)
- Water or light seafood/chicken stock — 2½–2¾ cups (adjust slightly according to rice type)
- Cooking oil — 2–3 tbsp (neutral oil like vegetable or peanut)
- Ginger — 1 large piece (about 30 g), thinly sliced or julienned
- Garlic — 5–6 cloves, minced or sliced
- Green onion / scallion — 3 stalks (white parts sliced, green parts finely chopped for garnish)
- Optional: 1–2 fresh red chilies or dried red chilies, sliced (for mild heat)
- Shaoxing wine — 3 tbsp
- Light soy sauce ( — 2–3 tbsp
- Oyster sauce — 1–1½ tbsp (adds rich umami)
- Sugar — ½–1 tsp (balances saltiness)
- Salt — ½ tsp (to taste — mussels are naturally salty)
- Ground white pepper — ¼ tsp
- Sesame oil — 1 tsp (final drizzle)
- Dried shiitake mushrooms — 4–5 (soaked and sliced)
- Shrimp (peeled & deveined) — 100–150 g
- Squid rings or small clams — 100 g
- Clean the mussels
- Scrub mussels under cold running water with a stiff brush to remove barnacles and sand.
- Pull off the beards (fibrous threads).
- Discard any mussels that are open and do not close when tapped (dead).
- Soak in cold water with 1 tbsp salt for 20–30 minutes (helps purge sand). Drain and rinse again.
- Prepare the rice
- Rinse rice 2–3 times until water runs mostly clear.
- Drain well and set aside (do not soak — we want the rice to absorb mussel juices directly).
- Cook the aromatics & mussels
- Heat 2–3 tbsp oil in a wok, clay pot, or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
- Add ginger slices + garlic + white parts of green onion + dried chilies (if using).
- Stir-fry 30–60 seconds until fragrant (do not burn garlic).
- Add cleaned mussels. Increase heat to high.
- Pour in Shaoxing wine — let it sizzle and cook 1 minute (helps remove fishy smell).
- Cover pot for 2–4 minutes — mussels will open as they steam. Shake pot occasionally.
- Once most mussels are open, remove from heat. Discard any that remain closed.
- Transfer mussels to a bowl (reserve all juices). Remove half the mussels from shells for easier eating (optional); keep some in shell for presentation.
- Cook the rice with mussel essence
- In the same pot (with mussel juices and oil), add rinsed rice.
- Stir-fry rice 1–2 minutes to coat grains with oil and juices (this enhances aroma).
- Pour in light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, white pepper, and reserved mussel cooking liquid.
- Add water/stock until liquid is about 1–1.2 cm above rice level (adjust to your rice brand; seafood rice needs slightly less water than plain because mussels release liquid).
- Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring once.
- Reduce to lowest simmer. Arrange cooked mussels (shelled and in-shell) evenly on top of rice.
- Cover tightly and cook 12–15 minutes (do not lift lid — steam is crucial).
- Turn off heat. Let rest covered 10 minutes (residual heat finishes cooking and infuses flavor).
- Finish
- Open lid: rice should be fluffy, grains separate but moist, with glossy sheen from mussel juices.
- Gently fluff/mix rice to distribute mussels and juices evenly.
- Drizzle sesame oil over the top for aroma.
- Garnish with chopped green onion tops.
- Serve
- Serve hot straight from the pot — the communal presentation is traditional.
- Each person scoops rice with mussels included.
- Pair with a simple stir-fried green vegetable or cucumber salad to balance richness.
- Mussel freshness → Buy live mussels (closed shells or close when tapped). Use same day.
- No overcooking → Mussels become rubbery if cooked too long — they only need initial steaming to open.
- Rice texture → Do not rinse rice after adding to pot — starch helps create glossy finish.
- Flavor balance → Mussels are salty — taste broth before adding extra salt. Oyster sauce + Shaoxing wine add depth without overpowering.
- Variations →
- Add dried scallops ( or shrimp to rice for extra luxury.
- For spicier version: add chili bean paste (doubanjiang) with aromatics.
- Clay pot bonus: cook in real clay pot on low stove for enhanced aroma.
- Storage → Best eaten fresh. Leftovers reheat well in microwave with splash of water (mussels may toughen slightly).
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