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Midye tava with salad

Midye tava is breaded, deep fried mussels, a street food classic from Istanbul, served here with a salad for 4 people in 45 minutes. It's a medium difficulty recipe at €3.80 per serving. Success depends on a batter thick enough to coat a spoon without dripping and frying the mussels in small batches to keep them crispy.

Tonight it's midye tava, the fried mussels from Istanbul's streets, crispy and golden, dipped in a garlic and walnut sauce.

Midye tava with salad
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.80
Calories per person
570 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring

Under the thin, golden crust, the mussel stays tender and keeps its briny flavor. That contrast between crispy fried coating and juicy bite is what makes midye tava worth the effort, especially once you dip each one into the creamy, garlicky walnut sauce.

This is a dish for a Sunday or an evening when you have a bit of time, more for adults and curious teens than young kids, since it involves frying in batches and a bold raw garlic kick. Paired with salad, tomatoes, and lemon, it turns into a full, fresh meal, perfect for spring or summer.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Mussels 1.5 kg

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 120 g
  • Sparkling wateroften in the pantry 15 cl
  • Walnuts 40 g
  • Vinegaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Walnut oil 2 tbsp
  • Frying oiloften in the pantry 30 cl
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Bakery

  • Sandwich bread 2 slices

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Lettuce 1
  • Tomatoes 2
  • Lemon 1

Dairy

  • Plain yogurt 100 g

Allergens Mollusks, Gluten, Tree nuts, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Steam the mussels in a covered pot, shell them, and let them cool. 6 min

    Discard any mussels that stay closed after cooking.

  2. Blend the walnuts, soaked sandwich bread, garlic, yogurt, vinegar, and walnut oil to make the sauce.

    Add water until you get a mayonnaise like texture.

  3. Whisk the flour with the sparkling water and a pinch of salt into a thick batter. 5 min

    The batter should coat a spoon without dripping off.

  4. Dip the mussels in the batter and fry them in small batches in hot oil. 6 min

    Drop in two or three at a time so they don't stick together.

  5. Serve the fritters with the sauce, the salad, the tomato wedges, and the lemon.

    Eat them right away, hot, with a squeeze of lemon.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick through every mussel carefully before battering them, one leftover shell fragment ruins the crunch of a fritter.
  • Drain the battered mussels on a rack for a few seconds before serving, the sauce and salad can wait a moment while the frying stays crisp.
  • Swap the frying oil if it's already been used a lot, tired oil gives a strong taste that covers up the flavor of the mussels.

The variations

  • Swap the walnuts for sliced almonds in the sauce for a milder flavor.
  • For a shellfish free version, make the same batter with zucchini or eggplant slices and keep the garlic walnut sauce.
  • To save time, batter the mussels right away without letting the batter rest, the frying will be slightly less crisp but the dish still works.

What to serve it with

  • Cold ayran or lemonade
  • Turkish flatbread for dipping
  • Extra lemon wedges at the table

Storage

Midye tava is best eaten right away, hot and crispy. If you need to, store the fried mussels and the sauce separately in sealed containers in the fridge for 1 day, and reheat the fritters for a few minutes in a skillet or hot oven, never in the microwave, which would make them soggy.

Questions about this dish

Can I use frozen, pre-cooked mussels for this recipe?

Yes, thaw them completely and pat them dry before battering. They'll be slightly less juicy than mussels you steam and shell yourself.

How do I keep the batter from falling off the mussels while frying?

Dry the shelled mussels well before dipping them in batter, since moisture keeps the batter from sticking. Letting the batter rest a few minutes, as the recipe tip suggests, also helps it cling better.

Can I make the garlic walnut sauce ahead of time?

Yes, it keeps for 1 day in the fridge in a sealed container and the flavor even deepens a bit. Stir it well before serving since it can separate slightly.

What's the best oil for frying the mussels?

A neutral, heat stable oil like sunflower oil works better than olive oil for this kind of frying. It lets the garlic and walnut flavors in the sauce come through clearly.

How long does it take to make midye tava with salad?

Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in midye tava with salad?

About 570 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does midye tava with salad cost?

About €3.80 per serving, or €15.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains mollusks, gluten, tree nuts, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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