I know many people are intimidated by cooking mussels, but I’m here to assure you it’s both easy and well worth it to make this green curry at home. The main thing is to clean your mussels thoroughly. From there, the green curry does a lot of heavy lifting and the mussels, which add their beautiful, briny juices into the curry, turn this into a dish so spectacular and stunning you are sure to impress even the most discerning dinner party guests. Although this is in the “with rice” chapter, and you should definitely eat this dish with steamed white rice, I encourage sopping up the delicate broth with crusty bread as well.
The most important thing to note about bamboo shoots is that it requires proper cleaning and some prep time. Make sure you drain the bamboo shoots thoroughly and boil them to remove impurities and calm their funky flavor.
Recipe information
Total Time
40 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
For serving:
Preparation
Step 1
Fill a medium saucepan three quarters full of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add 2 oz. (55 g) bamboo shoot strips and cook to release their impurities, 15–30 minutes. Drain the bamboo shoots, then either slice or shred.
Do Ahead: The prepared bamboo shoots can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Step 2
In a large, high-sided sauté pan with a lid, combine 2 Tbsp. green curry paste and 2 Tbsp. coconut milk and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add prepared bamboo shoot strips, ¼ white onion, thinly sliced, ½ green bell pepper, thinly sliced, and 1 lb. (455 g) mussels, scrubbed and debearded, and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 Tbsp. fish sauce, 1 Tbsp. sugar, 4 green Thai eggplants, cut into quarters (or sub green tomatoes), and ½ cup (120 ml) nam sai (clear bone broth), cover, and cook until the mussels pop open, about 4 minutes. Discard any mussels that do not open. Stir in remaining ¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp. coconut milk.
Step 3
Transfer to a serving bowl, top with fresh Thai basil, hand ripped, and serve immediately with toasted baguette slices (or toast points) and steamed rice.
Recipe notes
Back to topSee Related Recipes and Cooking Tips
14 Standout Cookbooks for Fall 2025
Here are the titles we’re cooking from at home—recipes included.
