Wok-Fired Spicy Seafood with Wild Ginger & Peppercorns
A ferocious stir-fry of mixed seafood -- shrimp, squid, and mussels -- blasted in a screaming-hot wok with fresh green peppercorns, krachai, kaffir lime leaves, and a profoundly aromatic chile-garlic paste. Pad cha is Thai wok cooking at its most intense, where bold herbs and blazing heat transform simple seafood into something electric.
Ingredients
- 8 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 oz squid, cleaned and cut into rings and tentacles
- 8 oz mussels, scrubbed and debearded (or substitute clams)
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
+ 13 more ingredients
Instructions
Prep all the seafood and have it ready on one plate. Pat everything dry -- wet seafood steams instead of searing. Have all aromatics and sauces measured and within arm's reach.
Heat the oil in a wok over the highest heat until it just begins to smoke. Add the garlic, dried chiles, and red curry paste. Stir-fry for 15 seconds until fragrant -- work fast so nothing burns.
Add the mussels first since they take the longest. Toss them in the aromatics for 30 seconds, then add a splash of broth and cover for 1 minute to help them steam open.
Uncover, add the shrimp and squid, and stir-fry aggressively for 2 minutes. The shrimp should be turning pink and the squid should be curling.
Add the green peppercorns, fingerroot, kaffir lime leaves, and bruised bird's eye chiles. Toss everything together for 30 seconds.
Season with fish sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar. Toss to coat evenly.
Kill the heat. Throw in both types of basil leaves and toss until just wilted. Transfer immediately to a serving plate.
Serve right away over steamed jasmine rice. This dish waits for nobody -- eat it hot.
Nutrition Estimate
Per serving • Estimated by Blinner AI