Ideal for a fun weeknight meal or dinner party, these light and golden tempura mussels are easy to prepare and even easier to cook! Paired with spicy greens and a flavoursome herby chilli mayo using creamy kewpie mayo, fresh herbs and zingy chilli oil, this dish will be an absolute crowd pleaser.
Recipe

Tempura Mussels with Herby Chilli Mayo & Spicy Greens

Ideal for a fun meal or dinner party, these light & golden tempura mussels are easy to prepare & cook! Paired with spicy greens & a flavoursome herby chilli mayo this dish will be an absolute crowd pleaser.
25 mins
4 people

Ingredients

CHILLI HERB MAYO

  • 1/3 cup kewpie mayonnaise

  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped herbs – basil, coriander, parsley

  • 1 teaspoon chilli oil

SPICY GREENS

  • 400g of seasonal green vegetables – bok choy, zucchini, green beans

  • ¼ cup water

  • 1 tablespoon chilli oil

TEMPURA BATTERED MUSSELS

  • 1kg Greenshell™ Mussels – Half Shell - thawed

  • 1 cup tempura batter mix

  • 3/4 cup iced water

  • 2 cups vegetable oil for shallow frying

TO SERVE

  • ¼ cup soy dipping sauce

  • lime wedges

Method

  1. Combine the chilli herb mayo ingredients in a small bowl then mix well and set aside. Trim the greens and cut lengthways if needed.

  2. Remove the mussel meat from their shells by using a small knife and reserve a few shells for serving.
    To remove the meat, gently slide the knife under the mussel meat and lift away from the white muscle joining the meat to the shell. Once all mussels are removed from their shell pat dry.

  3. Heat 2 cups of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan.

  4. Place the tempura batter mix in a bowl and whisk in the iced water to make a runny batter similar to cream in consistency.

  5. Once the oil is hot, dip each mussel into the batter, shake off the excess and place carefully into the pre-heated oil for 1-2 minutes each side. When ready, the batter will puff and change to a golden yellow. Fry in batches of 4-5 and place on a paper towel to remove excess oil once done.

  6. While the mussels are frying, heat ¼ cup of water in a pan. When the water is bubbling, place in the greens and simmer until bright green. Drain off the water then drizzle the greens with the 1 tablespoon of chilli oil.

TO SERVE

Plate the spicy greens on a serving dish then arrange the tempura mussels on a large platter.

Spoon the herby chilli mayo into the reserved shells, as well as the dipping soy and some extra chilli oil.

CHEF'S TIP

To make this dish less spicy, only use the oil from the top of the jar, avoiding any chilli pieces. For a mild dish, replace the chilli oil for soy dipping sauce in the mayo and on the greens and serve the chilli oil on the side.

Buy Sanfords NZ Greenshell™ Mussels online from Sanford and Sons.
Perfect for this recipe
Shellfish | Frozen

Greenshell™ Mussels - Half Shell

907g box $16.90
Subscription available
Shop Now
Sign-up for product news, recipes and special offers.
Retail Store
22 Jellicoe St, Freemans Bay, Auckland 1010, New Zealand.
© 2022 Sanford and Sons, Ltd. All Rights Reserved.