Ingredients:
500 g squid (cleaned, cut into rings like in the photo)
6–8 cloves garlic
10–15 Thai bird’s eye chilies (adjust to spice level, use red for color)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp fish sauce
½ tsp sugar (or palm sugar)
2 tbsp water (or squid broth if available)
1 cup holy basil leaves (bai kra pao)
Steamed jasmine rice (to serve)
Instructions:
Prepare the squid
Clean and slice squid into thick rings. Pat dry to avoid excess water.
Make chili-garlic paste
Pound garlic and chilies in a mortar & pestle (or roughly chop for chunky texture, like in your photo). Don’t make it too fine—you want visible chili seeds.
Cook the squid
Heat oil in a wok or pan on high heat. Add the chili-garlic paste and stir-fry until fragrant.
Add the squid and stir quickly (don’t overcook—squid should cook in 1–2 minutes).
Season the dish
Add oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and a splash of water. Stir until the squid is coated in a glossy, spicy sauce.
Add holy basil
Toss in holy basil leaves, stir just until wilted. Turn off heat immediately to keep basil fragrant.
Serve
Spoon over hot steamed jasmine rice. Serve right away with extra chilies or fried egg if desired.