Tahong, simply.

When they are in season, we will have tahong to our hearts' content. The green mussel is such a lovely shellfish. Its colors are so vivid- from its ombre-like brown to bright green shell to its peach and carmine flesh- if I didn't know better I would think it's poisonous.


Good thing they're edible. (Well, maybe not when there is Red Tide) Preparation-wise, nothing is simpler than ginger soup. If someone in the house is feeling particularly industrious maybe we would have baked tahong, but more often than not, ginger soup is the way to go.

Mussels in ginger soup go well with steamed rice but they satisfy just as well on their own. They can be quite addictive. I sometimes find myself having lost track of how many I have consumed in a sitting with only the mound of empty mussel shells on my plate to remind me. So consider yourself warned.

Mussels in Ginger Soup

Ingredients

2 dozen tahong (mussels), shells scrubbed clean, "beards" cut off, and rinsed thoroughly
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, chopped
ginger, around 2 inches, crushed
1 tbsp patis (fish sauce)
water, enough to cover mussels in pot
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cooking Oil

Directions

Heat about 2 tablespoons cooking oil in a large pot. Saute garlic, onion and ginger for about 3 minutes. Add the mussels and pour in water. Stir in fish sauce then bring to a boil.

Cook mussels until the shells open. Season with pepper and adjust saltiness of the soup with salt if necessary. Turn off heat and serve.

(Discard shells that failed to open. They may not be safe for eating.)