Lemongrass Coconut Mussels Recipe

Prepping these bivalve bébés may feel daunting, but this one-pot wonder—packed with flavor, spice, and protein—proves that you can have ’em any day of the week.

Speaking of prep: What's the best way to clean mussels, really? Well, it's actually super simple: Place the mussels in a colander. Under cold running water, scrub off any sand, barnacles, mud, or seaweed. Finally, discard any mussels with cracked shells.

Next, you want to give them a tap. Because mussels are alive and should be when you cook them, their shells should be closed (this is how you know they're still living!).

If there are any open mussels in your bunch, tap them lightly, and they should close up. If they don’t, throw those away.

Also, scrape the beards. Mussels have tiny membranes called “beards” that they use to attach themselves to hard surfaces in the ocean. They aren't pleasant to eat (they can be sandy and grainy), so it's important to remove before cooking and eating.

To de-beard: Grab the membrane between your thumb and forefinger and pull downward toward the hinged-end of the shell (use a paper towel to help grasp, if needed).

This article originally appeared in the January/February 2021 issue of Women’s Health.

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