Mussel Butter Masala With Cardamom Rice

Crush your cardamom pod[s] open by squashing them with the side of a knife

Add your basmati rice, crushed cardamom pod[s] and 300ml [390ml] [600ml] cold water to a pot with a lid and bring to the boil over a high heat, once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 10-12 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked

Once cooked, remove from the heat and keep covered

Boil a kettle

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Peel and finely dice your brown onion[s]

Chop your coriander finely, including the stalks (save some leaves for garnish!)

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick, with a matching lid) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium heat

Once hot, add your diced onion and cook for 3-4 min or until beginning to soften

Tip: Cooking for 3 or more? Use 2 pans!

Drain your mussels, reserving the juices

Add the reserved juices to a jug with 100ml [130ml] [170ml] boiled water - this is your mussel stock

Reboil a kettle

Once the onion has softened, add the chopped garlic to the pan with your tomato paste, ginger paste, curry powder and garam masala and cook for 1 min or fragrant

Once fragrant, add your mussel stock to the pan with 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar and cook for 6-8 min or until the sauce has thickened – this is your masala sauce

Once thickened, increase the heat to high and add the drained mussels to the masala sauce and cook, covered, for a further 5-6 min or until the mussels are cooked through

While the mussels are cooking, wash your spinach then add to a colander and pour boiled water all over it so that it starts to wilt

Once cooked, remove the pan from the heat and add 50g [75g] [100g] butter with the chopped coriander and stir it all together until the butter has melted and the sauce has thickened – this is your mussel butter masala

Tip: Discard any mussels which shells have not opened!