Chilli and black bean mussels with noodles

Prep time: 25 minutes, plus soaking time Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves 6

I first made this dish during lockdown as my children were really enjoying mussels, and I decided to bulk it up with some noodles to stretch them out. I hold back on the amount of chilli I use in this for my family, but I do love the kick it adds.

Fermented black beans (fermented soy beans) can be bought in your local Chinese supermarket or online. They are inexpensive and any that are left over will keep in your freezer for ages. Make sure you don’t buy Mexican black beans, which are completely different!

INGREDIENTS

– 1kg fresh mussels

– 6 dried egg noodle nests, each weighing about 60-75g

– 1 tbsp vegetable oil – 30g fresh ginger root, peeled and sliced into rounds

– 6 large spring onions, 4 chopped into 7.5cm pieces and 2 finely sliced for garnishing – 4 large garlic cloves,

finely chopped

– 1 large chilli, finely

sliced (optional)

– 3 tbsp Chinese dried

fermented black beans – 2 tbsp light soy sauce – 2 tsp sesame oil

– 1 tsp sugar (optional) – 1 tbsp cornflour paste (cornflour mixed to a paste with water in a ratio of 1:2)

METHOD

To prepare the mussels, clean each one on the outside with a scourer. Check for ‘beards’ around the seams, pulling them out and discarding these ‘hairy’ pieces. Throw away any with broken shells – they are spoiled.

Put the mussels in a bowl of cold water and allow to sit for about 20 minutes, so the grit can be rinsed out. Give the mussels another rinse in the bowl under a cold running tap, then use a colander to drain off the water.

Tap any unclosed mussels on a work surface: if they close, they are still alive, but otherwise discard them.

Prepare the noodles by rehydrating in cold water for at least 30 minutes, until the strands are separable, then drain, pat dry and leave on top of some paper towels to remove excess water. (You can also use fresh egg noodles.)

Heat the vegetable oil in a pan or wok and fry off the ginger and the 4 chopped spring onions for a couple of minutes.

Add the garlic and chilli (if using) to the pan and fry for about a minute until everything becomes fragrant.

Next, rehydrate the black beans by soaking for 15 minutes in just enough boiling water to cover them, then pour off the excess water just before using.

Add the rehydrated black beans without the soaking water to the pan, followed by the soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar (if using), and allow to simmer for a couple of minutes. Next, stir in the cornflour paste. Toss the mussels into the pan and add approximately 200ml water.

Cover with a lid or some tin foil and cook for at least 5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Keep checking to see if all the mussel shells have opened; discard any that don’t.

Finally, add in the rehydrated noodles and mix everything together.

Allow to come up to the boil for a couple of minutes, until the sauce is absorbed by the noodles.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. You may wish to add more soy sauce or sesame oil as well, or even more chilli.

Before serving, garnish with the sliced spring onions.