Mussels in fragrant broth with mung bean noodles

A quick and easy fragrant paste made with ginger and turmeric can turn a simple stock into a fragrant broth that’s perfect with mussels, a few pieces of fish or both. Here we’ve used mung bean noodles, sometimes referred to as bean-thread noodles. In their place, rice noodles work well, and the broth is also lovely with the addition of leafy Asian vegetables such as gai lan.

Prep time 15 mins, cook 15 mins

Serves 4

1 tbsp grapeseed oil

500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock

1 lemongrass stalk (white part only), bruised

with the side of a cleaver

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 kg mussels, scrubbed and debearded 3 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into wedges 300 gm mung bean noodles

150 gm bean sprouts

Coriander sprigs, to serve

Lime juice and roasted chilli flakes

(see note), to serve

Fragrant ginger paste

30 gm ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped 10 gm fresh turmeric, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 golden shallots, coarsely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 For fragrant ginger paste, pound ingredients and a large pinch of salt to a smooth paste with a mortar and pestle.

2 Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add paste and stir-fry until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Add stock, lemongrass and 500ml water and simmer for flavours to develop (5-6 minutes). Add fish sauce and bring to the boil, then add mussels and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, removing them with tongs as they open (3-5 minutes). Add tomatoes to stock and return to a simmer, then season to taste and keep warm.

3 Place mung bean noodles in a large heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water and stand, stirring occasionally, until tender (2-3 minutes). Drain well. 4 Transfer noodles to bowls, snipping at intervals with kitchen scissors to separate them as you go. Top with mussels, ladle in broth and tomatoes, scatter with bean sprouts and coriander, add lime juice and roasted chilli flakes and serve.

Note Dry-roast whole dried red chillies, then finely crush with a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder.

Drink suggestion Tangy soured ale.