Toroi

Toroi

Ingredients

• 1kg mussels
• 2 large bunches (~300g) watercress
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 bird’s eye chilli
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1½ tbsp white vinegar

Method

1. Clean & cook mussels: Rinse mussels under cold water for 30 min to remove grit. Drain, then place in a large pot with ¼ cup water. Cover and cook on medium heat 5 min, until shells pop open. Strain, reserving the cooking liquid. Rest mussels 10 min, then remove meat from shells (discard any that stayed shut). Remove any remaining beard—it should pull off easily once cooked.
2. Prepare toroi: Slice mussel meat into 4–5 pieces (~5mm thick); refrigerate. Bring a large pot of water to boil; prepare a bowl of ice water. Pick watercress leaves and thin stems from the tough woody stems (discard woody parts). Blanch watercress 30 sec, then plunge into ice water. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Roughly chop and add to the mussels.
3. Combine & season: Finely slice garlic and chilli (seeds in/out to taste). Add garlic, chilli, salt, and vinegar to the mussel-watercress mix; stir well and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a clean jar, topping up with reserved mussel liquid if not fully submerged. Seal and refrigerate, or eat right away