Published Aug 19, 2009 Updated Aug 05, 2024
Clam Stir Fry
One of my favorite spicy Thai recipes is basil clams, or spicy clam stir fry with Thai basil leaves. Called Hoy Lai Ped in Thai, this dish features roasted chili paste and translates to “spicy clams.” It’s a popular clam stir fry recipe in Thailand. Thailand is blessed with abundant seafood, and clams are hugely popular. The Thai clams recipe is very easy to prepare and requires only a few key ingredients: “nam prik pao” (roasted chili paste), fresh basil leaves, and red chilies. This is my favorite clam recipe now; I love its vibrant and bold flavors: fiery hot, exuberantly briny, and with a robust minty note from the Thai basil leaves, just like Thai basil chicken. It’s absolutely the best clam stir fry ever! Looking for more clam recipes? Check out my Kam Heong Clams recipe!
Why You’ll Love Basil Clams
If you are a clam lover like me, you will absolutely love this Thai style fiery hot and richly aromatic spicy clams:
Fresh Clams: Tender, succulent, and juicy, with a slightly sweet and briny taste. Bold Flavors: Spicy, savory, briny, with a hint of sweetness—need I say more? Intense Aromas: Fresh Thai basil and roasted chili paste add fantastic flavors and a powerful fragrance, making my mouth water every time I think of this clam stir-fry dish. Authentic Taste: I developed this recipe after trying numerous Hoy Lai Ped in Thailand. Enjoy a true Thai flavor right at home!
Ingredients For Spicy Thai Clams Recipe
This Thai spicy clams calls for the following ingredients:
Fresh clams Roasted chili paste (nam prik pao) Thai basil leaves – in this recipe, you want to use Thai sweet or purple basil or bai horapa in Thai. Red chilies – I used a combination of red Thai chilies and regular red chili. Garlic Fish sauce Sweet soy sauce Sugar
Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full details on each ingredient. Shopping Guide: You can use various types of hard-shelled clams for this recipe, such as Manila clams, little neck clams, or cherry stone clams in the United States, or pipi or vongole clam if you are in Australia. In Asia, feel free to use any local hard-shelled clam species you prefer!
How To Make Thai Clams
Cooking Tips For Home Cooks
You can get Nam Prik Pao from Asian supermarkets or online. If you wanted to make it from scratch, please refer to She Simmers Nam Prik Pao recipe. Give the clams a good scrub under cold water to get rid of any grit. Soak them in salted water for about 20 minutes to help clean them out even more. Make sure your wok or skillet is hot before you add the oil. This helps give the clams a nice sear and brings out all the flavors. Make sure to keep the clams moving in the wok so they cook evenly and don’t stick or burn. Clams cook fast, so keep an eye on them. They’re ready when their shells open up. If you cook them too long, they might get tough. Discard unopened clams; they might be rotten or filled with sand.
What To Serve With Thai Clams
For a homemade Thai style dinner at home, I recommend the following recipes. I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Clam Recipes You Might Like
Thai-style Steamed Clams Malaysian Kam Heong Clams Taiwanese-style Clams
