Those hearing the term “mussel” for the first time often mistakenly think it refers to a type of vegetable, but mentioning “peacock clams” more readily conjures up thoughts of shellfish. Peacock clams are just one variety of mussels, which come in many different types. Common ways to prepare mussels include braising, steaming, and making soups. People with weak constitutions can benefit from regularly eating mussels. Today, we'll introduce several mussel recipes.
The Origin of the Name “Mussel”
Mussels are the flesh of the Mytilus edulis, and the market primarily supplies them as dried products. These creatures are mainly found in the southern seas of China and prefer living attached to rocks in areas with good water flow. Anciently, those who harvested pearls from oysters were known as “egg households,” where the word “egg” is pronounced similarly to “mussel.” For these “egg households,” eating mussel meat was as common as eating vegetables. Since the Song and Yuan dynasties, “egg” has been phonetically borrowed as “mussel,” hence the name “mussel.”
Comprehensive Guide to Cooking Mussels: Braised Pork with Mussels
Ingredients Preparation
500g pork ribs, 100g mussels, 150ml cooking wine, 30g sugar, 50ml soy sauce, 25ml oil, 10ml sesame oil, 50g chopped scallions, 5g ginger.
Cooking Steps
1. Wash the pork and cut into cubes; blanch in boiling water then remove. Reserve the broth after skimming off the foam.
2. In a pan, add wine, ginger, scallions, sugar, soy sauce, and the reserved broth; bring to a boil.
3. Add the pork, cover, and braise over low heat (approximately 40 minutes).
4. In a steamer, add cleaned mussels with 50ml wine and a little broth; steam until tender (approximately 10 minutes), then remove the mussels.
5. When the pork is nearly tender, add the mussels, continue cooking until the pork is tender, then drizzle with sesame oil to finish.
Home-Style Mussel Recipe: Steamed Duck with Mussels
Ingredients Preparation
800g duck, 500g Chinese cabbage, 50g dried mussels, cooking wine, salt, monosodium glutamate, white pepper, scallions, ginger, all to taste.
Cooking Steps
1. Soak the mussels in warm water until they become soft, wash once, trim the inner bristles and old flesh, rinse thoroughly, and soak in clean water. Cut the scallion whites into sections. Crush the remaining scallions and ginger. Wash the Chinese cabbage and blanch in boiling water; then cool in cold water.
2. Clean the duck, deboned through the backbone, removing the innards. Cut into square pieces, blanch in boiling water, remove, and rinse off any blood residue. Arrange in a dish, add mussels, scallions, ginger, cooking wine, salt, and an appropriate amount of water, then steam in an electric steamer until tender.
3. In a pot, add 250ml broth, Chinese cabbage, and salt, bring to a boil, blanch, and remove. Also, take out the mussels and duck pieces, discard the scallions and ginger, then add monosodium glutamate, white pepper, scallion whites, and Chinese cabbage to serve.
How to Cook Fresh Mussels Deliciously: Mussels Stir-Fried with Tofu Skin
Ingredients Preparation
200g tofu skin, 100g mussels, 25g green bell peppers, 25g red bell peppers, 5g chopped scallions, garlic, and ginger each, 10ml cooking wine and cornstarch each, 2ml vinegar, 3g salt and chicken essence each, 1g monosodium glutamate, 0.5g white pepper, 200ml broth, 25ml vegetable oil.
Cooking Steps
1. Wash the mussels in warm water, place in a container, add warm water, soak until softened, then remove. Cut the tofu skin into diamond-shaped pieces. Remove the stems and seeds from the green and red bell peppers, wash, and cut into diamond-shaped slices.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a wok, sauté the scallions, garlic, and ginger until fragrant, add the mussels and stir-fry until fragrant, then add the vinegar and cooking wine and stir-fry evenly. Add the broth, bring to a boil, and cook until the mussels are tender.
3. Add the tofu skin pieces, then add the salt and chicken essence, stir-fry evenly, cook until the tofu skin absorbs the flavors, then add the green and red bell pepper slices and stir-fry evenly. Add the monosodium glutamate and white pepper, thicken with cornstarch, and serve.
Nutritional Value of Mussels
Mussels are rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron, protein, carbohydrates, and have a cholesterol-lowering effect. Tofu skin is rich in protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and contains unsaturated fatty acids that help lower cholesterol. Green and red bell peppers contain abundant vitamin C, calcium, and have bone-strengthening effects. Prepared together, this dish is an excellent calcium and bone-strengthening option for middle-aged and elderly people.