Midye Tava (Fried Mussels)
Midye Tava features succulent mussels, typically threaded onto skewers, that are battered and fried until golden brown. This popular Turkish street food is often served with a garlicky, spiced tarator sauce and lemon wedges.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 40 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Per serving
- 573 kcal
Allergen information: may contain gluten, molluscs, nuts, and tree nuts. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.
Ingredients
- 500 gfresh mussel, scrubbed and debearded
- 4 cupvegetable oil, for deep frying
batter
- 0.5 cupall-purpose flour
- 2 tbspcornstarch
- 0.5 tspbaking powder
- 0.5 tspsalt
- 0.25 tspblack pepper
- 0.75 cupcold water
tarator sauce
- 2 slicestale bread, crusts removed
- 0.25 cupwalnut
- 2 clovegarlic, minced
- 2 tbsplemon juice
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 2 tbspwater
- 0.25 tspsalt
- 0.5 tspred pepper flake
for serving
- 1 pcslemon, cut into wedges
Equipment
slotted spoon · skewer · deep pot · thermometer · paper towels · pot · food processor · wire rack · medium bowl · whisk
The method
Step by step
- 1
Steam the cleaned mussels in a pot with a splash of water for 3-5 minutes, until they open. Discard any mussels that do not open.
About 5 min
- 2
Remove the mussels from their shells and pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels. Thread 3-4 mussels onto each small skewer.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: Drying the mussels well ensures a crispier batter.
- 3
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and black pepper for the batter.
About 2 min
- 4
Gradually add the cold water to the dry ingredients, whisking until you have a smooth, thin batter.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: The batter should be thin enough to coat the mussels lightly.
- 5
Prepare the tarator sauce by blending the stale bread, walnuts, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, water, salt, and red pepper flakes in a food processor until smooth.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Adjust the consistency of the tarator sauce with a little more water if needed.
- 6
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven to 175°C (350°F).
About 3 min
Cook’s note: Use a thermometer to ensure the oil maintains a consistent temperature for best frying results.
- 7
Dip each mussel skewer into the batter, ensuring it is fully coated, and allow any excess to drip off.
About 2 min
- 8
Carefully place the battered mussel skewers into the hot oil, frying in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Overcrowding the pot will lower the oil temperature and result in soggy mussels.
- 9
Fry for 2-3 minutes per batch, until golden brown and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
About 5 min
- 10
Serve the fried mussels immediately with the tarator sauce and fresh lemon wedges.
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 572.9kcal
- Protein
- 19.5g
- Carbs
- 33g
- Fat
- 41.3g
- Fibre
- 2.2g
- Sugar
- 1.9g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store leftover fried mussels and tarator sauce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
Reheat fried mussels in an oven or air fryer at 180°C (350°F) until crispy.
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