Stir-fried clams with krachai, galangal and Thai basil

“Typically, I spend my time first ferreting out some great version of an herbaceous soup or fiery jumble of flesh and then figuring out how to faithfully recreate it,” says Ricker. “Occasionally I’ll have to identify stand-ins for ingredients I can’t get, or I’ll piece together a composite of a few of my favourite versions. This dish is a rare departure. I’ve eaten many stir-fried clams in Thailand, most often spiked with the slightly sticky paste called naam phrik phao that gives the dish its flavour profile – sweet from palm sugar, funky from preserved shrimp product, and hot from chillies. But I prefer this version, constructed not from the memories of empty plates, but from reading the limited but fascinating English-language literature on the food of Thailand. Reading and experimenting led me to what I think would cause no sneers in Thailand: briny clams in a vibrant broth headlined by a highly aromatic combination of fresh chillies, Thai basil, and krachai, a spindly rhizome with an earthy, peppery flavour.” When the oil shimmers, add the chilli-garlic mixture, galangal, and krachai and remove the wok from the heat. Cook off the heat, stirring constantly and quickly, until the mixture is fragrant but not coloured (30 seconds to 1 minute). Do yourself a favour and avoid taking too deep or too close a sniff.

5 Put the wok back on the heat, increase the heat to high, add the clams and fish sauce, and cook, stirring constantly, for a minute. Add 180ml water or Thai pork stock, lime juice, and sugar, stir well, and cover the wok with a lid. Cook, shaking the wok occasionally, until the clams open (about 3 minutes). Turn off the heat, add the basil leaves, and toss well. Transfer to a bowl. Sprinkle with spring onion and serve right away.

Note Fresh krachai, or wild ginger, is occasionally available from Thai grocers; if it’s unavailable, substitute fresh ginger, or krachai in brine, sold at Thai grocers, soaking it in cold water before use. 455 gm clams, or cockles,

scrubbed

1 tsp cornmeal

14 gm (4 peeled) garlic cloves,

halved lengthways

6 gm (4) stemmed fresh red

Thai chillies, thinly sliced 2 tbsp neutral-flavoured oil

(such as rice bran or canola) 1 tbsp peeled galangal, cut

into matchsticks

1 tsp thinly sliced krachai

(see note)

1 tbsp Thai fish sauce

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp caster sugar

½ cup Thai basil leaves

1 tbsp finely sliced (6mm)

spring onions

1 Firmly tap the shells of any open clams. If they don’t close by themselves, they’re dead and should be discarded.

2 Combine 2.8 litres water and 45gm (5 tbsp) sea salt in a bowl and stir until the salt dissolves. Stir in the cornmeal, add the clams, and then add 225gm (1 cup) ice. Let the clams sit for 1 hour to purge the sand. Drain and rinse well.

3 Pound the garlic and chillies with a mortar and pestle just until the garlic is in small pieces and the mixture is wet-looking (not a paste). Set aside 1 tbsp for the dish. Reserve the remainder for another use.

4 Heat a wok over medium heat, add the oil, and swirl to coat the sides of the wok.