1 clove garlic, sliced finely

2 chillies, chopped finely

1 knob ginger

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons mustard seeds

¼ cup reduced tomato puree, or 1 teaspoon tomato paste and 2 skinned, chopped tomatoes

1 kg mussels, steamed and removed from their shells – Save the mussel ‘milk’ and use about ½ cup for this dish, taking care to leave any sand behind.

small bunch of basil, leaves only

1

Fry the garlic, chilli and ginger in hot oil, taking care not to burn the fragile garlic. This is best done in a wok but can just as well be done in an open fry-pan.

2

Add the mustard seeds, and watch them sputter. Remove from the heat for a second, and ease in the tomato puree and reserved mussel milk, and stir through.

3

Return to a medium heat, and continue to stir, gently, until the oil and tomato amalgamate, and the excess liquid has all but disappeared.

4

Add the cooked mussels and stir gently on a medium heat, until the mussels are warmed through.

5

Remove from the heat, and work through the basil leaves. Serve with boiled rice, or pasta, or mashed potatoes, or polenta, or couscous.