Instructions: This dish is supposed to be hot. However as always you can reduce the heat in cooking it (diners can always add more chili later, but they cant take it out!) bai kaprao (holy basil) is a Thai variety. If not available substitute ordinary european basil. Thai eggplants (makheua pro) are a yellowish green fruit the size of a golfball. If you cant get them, then you could substitute common purple aubergine.

Heat a little oil in a wok and stir fry the garlic, then add the curry paste, and stir until aromatic. Add the squid, and stir fry briefly. This cooks very quickly and becomes rubbery if overcooked. You may prefer to lift the wok from the stove to stir in the squid. Add the remaining ingredients, and stir until the flavors are combined. As soon as the squid is cooked transfer to a serving dish.

Note: because the squid cooks so quickly, you might prefer to steam the squid, and to combine and reduce the other ingredients to form a dipping sauce.

In either case serve with prik dong (pickled red chilis), nam pla prik

(green chilis in fish sauce), prik phom (chili powder), sugar, and fresh ground ginger.

If you are serving it "dip style", then you could also add a mild satay sauce as a contrasting dip. Those who prefer a hotter dip might also use nam prik narok (literally "the dipping sauce from Hell")

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