Recipes

This recipe is for one of the favourite dishes of the Thai people. They will make basil anything — substitute the chicken with pork, beef, squid, shrimp, and seafood, anything you like. This dish is often served at breakfast with a deep-fried egg, sunny side up, on top.

8 mussels in the shell
1/2 lb. fillet of halibut, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
1/3 lb. sea scallops
1/3 lb. medium-size tiger prawns, shelled, deveined, and butterflied
10 to 15 fresh Thai chillies (prik kee noo), cut into thin rounds
12 to 15 cloves garlic, or one large head, chopped
1 tsp. minced cilantro roots (or substitute with bottom stems)
2 to 3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. Chinese oyster sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp+ (or more) Thai Kitchen Premium Fish Sauce, to taste
1 cup holy basil leaves (bai gkaprow), flower buds may also be used
1 tbsp whole green peppercorns (optional)
1 red jalapeno, cut into long slivers with seeds

Prepare the seafood, rinse and drain well. Pat dry with a towel.  Pound the Thai chillies, garlic and cilantro roots (or stems) with a mortar and pestle until it forms into a paste. (You can use a blender or food processor).

Heat wok over high heat. Swirl in the oil to coat the surface. Add the crushed aromatics (chili, garlic, cilantro) paste and sliced shallots. Stir-fry until fragrant. Toss in the mussels and stir-fry about half a minute. Follow with the fish chunks and stir-fry another 15 to 20 seconds. Then add the remaining seafood.   Stir-fry seafood until shrimp begins to turn orange on the outside. Add oyster sauce, sugar and fish sauce. Mix together. Add the basil, peppercorns and slivered red chili.   Continue to stir-fry until the seafood are just cooked and the basil wilted. Transfer to a serving dish and serve with cooked Thai Kitchen Jasmine Rice.

Serves 4-6 with rice in a multi-course shared family-style meal.

Recipe from Thai Kitchen’s website