Baked Tahong

The other day, I went to H-Mart to do my weekly grocery routine. I bumped into mussels in the wet section. It’s quite rare to have mussels here, so I took the opportunity and bought a bag. I remembered my mother as soon as I saw the mussels, and her recipe, “baked tahong”… so yummy and delicious.

Instead of the usual way of steamed, grilled or have it as a soup… “baked tahong” is really a good deal. My sister and her family will probably like it. I wish I could visit them right now to let them taste some. Unfortunately, because of the weather these days, the roads are not clear yet… wet and slippery.

Funny thing is, I keep teasing my brother-in-law that the reason he wants me to be there and cook for them is because he wants to be free from cooking not because my cooking is good. Well, aside from the fact that I love cooking, I like it, when I cook for them. They are so appreciative and honest. Sometimes I cook good, sometimes it’s not, even though I am making the same dish. And they tell that to me. Actually, I noticed, my cooking depends on my mood. If there’s something bothering me, my cooking is bothered as well.

This dish takes a lot of time for preparation, but it’s all worth it. The drawback of this recipe is that I don't know the exact measurements... or maybe we don't need one. So let your creativity and taste buds works a bit more.

Another FACT. Too much of Mussels/Tahong is not healthy if you have high blood pressure. But, you can try adding more garlic to help lessen the effect.

Give it a try… my mother’s very own “Baked Tahong”.

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Ingredients:
Fresh large Tahong or Mussels
Mayonnaise
Minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated cheddar cheese

Instructions:
1. Soak the Mussels/Tahong with water for at least an hour to get rid of the dirt inside the shell. Clean and brush each shell. 
2. Drain it and place it on a pan with no water, cover and cook over moderate heat until shells opens up.
3. Drain and remove the top shell.
4. Mix the mayonnaise, garlic and salt and pepper. Make sure to taste it to have the perfect mixture.
5. Brush or put some mayonnaise mixture on top of each Mussels/Tahong meat. Top with grated cheese.
6. Arrange Mussels/Tahong on a baking sheet.
7. Bake in pre-heated oven with 250 degree heat for 10-15 minutes.