Thai Clams Recipe

4.89 from 9 votes

Savor the bold flavors of Thai clams, one of my favorite spicy Thai recipes. This basil clam stir fry combines fresh clams with aromatic Thai basil and zesty spices, bringing an authentic taste of Thai cuisine straight to your kitchen.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time9

Course: Clams

Cuisine: Thai Recipes

Keyword: Thai Clams, Clam Stir Fry

Servings: people

Author: Bee Yinn Low

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. (700g) clams
3 tablespoons oil
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 tablespoons Nam Prik Pao roasted Thai chili paste or chili jam
3 red Thai chilies or bird's eye chilies pounded with a mortar and pestle or sliced into small pieces
1 red chili sliced into pieces
1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar or to taste
1 cup Thai basil leaves stems removed

Instructions

Rinse the clams, soak them in salted water for 20-30 minutes, then scrub the shells with your hands or a brush. Rinse thoroughly under cold running water and discard any cracked or damaged clams.
Heat a wok or skillet over high heat and add oil. Stir-fry the garlic until aromatic, then add the Nam Prik Pao, Thai chilies and red chili. Continue stirring for 1 minute or until you smell the spicy aroma.
Add the clams to the wok or skillet and stir to combine with the other ingredients.
Add the fish sauce, sweet soy sauce, sugar, and Thai basil leaves. Stir quickly to mix everything well. Once all the clams are open, the dish is ready.
Dish out and serve immediately with steamed white rice.

Video

Notes

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.

Nutrition