Street Food-Stuffed Mussels Istanbul Street Style- Midye Dolmasi

Street food.... You either love it or you hate it. There’s rarely a middle ground.

In Eastern Europe we love street food. It's portable and easy to eat. There’s no need for a table or even utensils– perfect for strolling through the large market squares arm-in-arm with a friend, or as a late night snack after the movies or before the dance club/after the club.

One of Turkey’s favorite street food is Midye dolmasi or stuffed mussels. They were sold by vendors in or around the street cafes, markets and waterfronts in port towns.

The Health Benefits of Mussels

Mussels are a high protein food source. Their low fat content makes them potentially healthier than other protein sources, such as beef, which can contain a lot of saturated fat. Mussels are also low in calories, with raw mussels containing only 70 calories per 3 oz. (85g), including 1.9g of fat (0.4g of which is saturated fat). A comparable amount of lean sirloin beef contains 160 calories and 2.1g of saturated fat. The beef does contain twice the protein of the mussels.

Mussels are also an excellent source of vitamin B12 and selenium, which is an essential micro-nutrient. Vitamin B12 is important in the functioning of metabolism processes and a deficiency can cause fatigue and depression, as well as other symptoms. One hundred grams of mussels provides around 13% of your daily vitamin C needs and 22% of your daily iron needs. Mussels are also good sources of other B vitamins (particularly folate), phosphorus, manganese and zinc. Mussels are a very good source of omega-3 fatty acids and are considered an excellent seafood choice.

 Ingredients

• 16 mussels
• salt, black pepper, allspice
• 9 medium onions
• 1 cup rice
• 9 medium onions
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon currants
• 1 tablespoon of pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon sugar 

Directions

 

Place the mussels in water and scrape the shells well all over with a knife. Then prise them open along the broad edge with the knife, and cut off the bristle without tearing the mussels away from the shell. Rinse the opened mussels well with water. Soak the rice in water for ten minutes, rinse and drain. Place the olive oil and pine nuts in a saucepan and stir over heat until the nuts are lightly colored. Add the rice, one pinch each of salt and spices, and one and a half cups of boiling water. Cover and cook over a medium heat for 20 minutes, then set aside for 10 minutes. Stuff the mussel shells with the rice and tie with sewing thread so that they do not come open during the cooking. Place in a saucepan with half a cup of water and lay a plate over the top to weigh them down. Cook over a low heat for 10-15 minutes. When cold serve with lemon wedges.