Saturday, February 19, 2011

Dried Mussels Recipe


I was searching for dried mussels recipe but I couldn't find many online, so I resorting to experiment it myself.  I had it in a friend's restaurant before and she used it to boil soup, so for one I know it will be great in soup.  My friend's suggested to add it in the lotus root and pork ribs soup which sounded yummy to me.  Going to try it soon but probably with chicken drumsticks as I don't have pork ribs.  Another suggested to braise it with chicken and mushroom which sounded good to me as well which I intent to try it out.  A few suggested to cook it in porridge but I probably going to pass this as my girls don't like porridge.  One suggested to cook it in sambal for example instead of sambal ikan bilis, make it into sambal dried mussels, sounds good to me too.  But I cannot cook this dish, read below for the reason.

This dish is very auspicious as bean curd sticks means blessing the house, Chinese cabbage means 100 types of prosperity luck, carrots means good luck, glass noodle means long life, wood ear means longevity, Shitake mushroom means longevity and sizing opportunity, shrimps means happiness and good fortune.  Mandarin orange means gold and wealth.


As for me, I experimented it in my Chap Chai recipe and also added some shrimps.  I added it in when stir-frying with the dried shrimps. It turned out great and we eat it with my chilies in oil.  My thought is you can use it in stir-frying vegetable or make a dish of it by cooking it in this spicy sauce.  My hubby doesn't like the smell of dried mussels so I couldn't make it a star of a dish, only as a side kick.  LOL!  But if you like mussels, why not make it a star of a dish! (like sambal mussels!)


 Dried mussels already soften in warm water.  You need to soak it in warm water until soften before use.  And then clean it and rinse it.  Available in Asian market and fairly cheap.




9 comments:

tigerfish said...

Chap Chai should be a good way to use the dried mussels ...I would do the same if I had dried mussels :)

Belinda @zomppa said...

I didn't know this dish has so much much meaning! Beautiful!

daphne said...

what a pity that your hubby doesn't like it. The other version I did was with fai choy.

http://theduckquacking.blogspot.com/2008/02/braised-siew-yoke-mushrooms-fah-choi.html

But yeah, more versions of it will be even better!

Smoky Wok (formerly Tastes of Home) said...

Love your creations with dried mussels. I love dried mussels! Can I have some? heheh Great explanation of the symbolism of the ingredients :D - didn't know all those veg held so much meaning..

Unknown said...

waw, i've never tried dried mussels before...i bet it must be great in soup...i wonder if taste similar to dried oyster...lemme go give it a try

Home Cooking said...

u can also make it curry :)

Anonymous said...

I have been told that dried mussels 'tamchoi' (contonese) is the poor man's dried oysters 'housee'. taste about the same but just not quite the same...
KC

Min {Honest Vanilla} said...

super yummy! i love mussels (dry or not) :P i've not had this for a long time, making me drool~

Little Corner of Mine said...

You bet Tigerfish, good match!

Hehe Belinda, that's why Chinese eat this during CNY too. :P

Yeah Daphne, I will have more recipes coming out for sure. ;)

Thanks Jen, yeah I found a site with a list of meaning.

Rita, for me it's quite similar I think. But then I have not had a dried oyster for a long time so I sort of forget how it tastes like already.

Thanks for the tips sweet&spicy. :)

KC, yup definitely the poor man version since it's cheap. But made a great substitute.

Thanks Min, go make some! :P