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AppetizerSide Dish

Choros A La Chalaca

A classic Peruvian appetizer featuring steamed mussels on the half shell. They are topped with a zesty, fresh salsa made from onion, tomato, corn, chili, and lime, known as salsa chalaca.

An original recipe by Forkin

Total time
45 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
Per serving
255 kcal
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Gluten-free

Allergen information: may contain fish and molluscs. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.

Choros A La Chalaca

Mise en place

Ingredients

Measurements

Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.

Ingredients

  • 1,000 gmussel, scrubbed and debearded
  • 1 cupwater

salsa

  • 100 gred onion, finely diced
  • 120 gtomato, seeded and finely diced
  • 75 gcorn kernel, cooked
  • 1 pcshabanero pepper, seeded and finely minced(optional)
  • 10 gcilantro, finely chopped
  • 60 mllime, juiced
  • 0.5 tspsalt
  • 0.25 tspblack pepper, freshly ground

Equipment

slotted spoon · mixing bowl · cutting board · knife · serving platter · large pot with lid

The method

Step by step

  1. 1

    Thoroughly scrub the mussels under cold running water and remove any beards by pulling them firmly towards the hinge of the shell.

    About 5 min

    Cook’s note: Discard any mussels that are already open or have cracked shells before cooking.

  2. 2

    Pour the water into a large pot or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat.

    About 3 min

  3. 3

    Add the cleaned mussels to the pot, cover immediately, and steam for 5-7 minutes until the shells have opened.

    About 7 min

    Cook’s note: Shake the pot once or twice during cooking to help the mussels cook evenly.

  4. 4

    Use a slotted spoon to transfer the opened mussels to a large bowl, discarding any that remained closed. Let them cool for about 15 minutes.

    About 15 min

  5. 5

    While the mussels cool, prepare the salsa. In a medium bowl, combine the diced red onion, tomato, cooked corn, optional habanero pepper, and cilantro.

    About 10 min

    Cook’s note: For a milder flavor, you can rinse the diced onion in cold water for a minute and pat it dry before adding it to the salsa.

  6. 6

    Pour the fresh lime juice over the salsa ingredients. Season with salt and black pepper, then stir gently to combine everything.

    About 1 min

  7. 7

    Once the mussels are cool enough to handle, twist off and discard the empty top shell from each one, leaving the meat in the bottom shell.

    About 5 min

  8. 8

    Arrange the mussels on the half shell on a serving platter and spoon a small amount of the salsa chalaca over each one.

    About 4 min

  9. 9

    Serve immediately while the salsa is fresh and the mussels are chilled.

Per serving

Nutrition

Calories
255.3kcal
Protein
31.4g
Carbs
19.5g
Fat
5.9g
Fibre
1.9g
Sugar
3.1g

Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.

Keep it good

Storage

Store leftover mussels and salsa separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for best results.

Reheating

This dish is served chilled and should not be reheated.

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