Crispy Tahong (Mussels) in Garlic Butter Sauce

Author:
Travel Chef
Updated date:
Jun 13, 2021

I am a chef on a luxury world cruise liner. I love to cook and write recipes that are inspired by foods from all over the world.

Crispy tahong (mussels) in garlic butter sauce
Dred Cuan

Tasty Filipino Pulutan Recipe

Tahong, or mussels, are one of the most popular types of shellfish in the Philippines. Aside from its delicious taste, it's relatively inexpensive at P100 (around $2) per kilo.

Filipinos usually enjoy eating mussels in soups (e.g., sinabawang tahong) or as a pulutan (snack). This simple recipe for crispy tahong in garlic butter sauce is an example of a popular pulutan. Try it with a glass of cold beer or a cocktail.

Ingredients

For the tahong:

1 large egg (use egg white only)
1 cup tahong (mussels), cooked and unshelled
4 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Salt and pepper, to taste
cooking oil, for deep-frying

For the garlic butter sauce:

3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons garlic, minced

Utensils

For prep:

Scroll to Continue

Cook Time


Prep time	Cook time	Ready in	Yields
15 min	20 min	35 min	2 to 4 servings

Instructions

Remove the tahong meat from the shells. Wash and drain well. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine the egg white, cornstarch, flour, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined. Dredge the mussels pieces into the mixture.
In a pot, heat the oil. Deep-fry the mussels until golden brown.
Remove from the heat. Transfer to a fry rack to drain the excess oil. Set aside.
In a pan, fry the garlic in butter. Add a little oil to prevent the butter from burning. Once it is ready, toss the fried mussels until all pieces are coated. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Tips and Techniques

To expel sand from the mussels, soak the mussels in a bowl of salted water.
Use scissors to remove the mussel beard.
Use a paring knife to remove the mussel meat.
Removing the mussel meat will be easier if you cook the mussels first in boiling seasoned water.
Do not overcook the mussels. Doing so will cause the mussels to release all of their juices and shrink.
Use readily available crispy coating mix.
You can experiment by adding other seasonings to the dredging mixture.

Crispy mussels in garlic butter
Dred Cuan

Another Delicious Fried Snack

How to Make Fried Chicken Gizzards With Garlic Butter
Have you tried chicken gizzards? When I was growing up, this was one of my favorite snacks. Here is my easy-to-follow recipe for fried chicken gizzards with garlic butter.