Seafood Pad Cha (Ta Lay Pad Cha)

• 1 tablespoon sliced coriander root
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1½ tablespoons
• chopped galangal
• 2 lemon grass stalks, chopped
• 3 hot red chillies
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon black
• peppercorns, crushed
• 150g (5oz) squid, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 5 prawns, shelled, deveined and heads removed, but with tails intact
• 5 mussels
• 5 scallops, sliced into bitesized pieces if large
• 1 tablespoon nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
• 3 pieces of lesser galangal,finely sliced
• 4 baby green peppercorn sprigs (available from Asian supermarkets), roughly chopped
• ½ onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
• 2 tablespoons water or stock

Serving

• Sweet basil leaves
• Steamed jasmine rice

1. Using a mortar and pestle or a food processor, pound or blitz the coriander root, garlic, chopped galangal, lemon grass and chillies into a paste.

2. Heat the oil in a wok set over medium heat. 

3. Stir-fry the paste you have made for a few seconds until it is fragrant, then stir in the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and black peppercorns. 

4. Add the squid, prawns, mussels, and scallops, tossing to combine. 

5. Season with the fish sauce, then add the lesser galangal, green peppercorns, and onion and combine well. 

6. Pour in the Chinese rice wine and measure the water. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes until everything is cooked through. 

Serving

7. Garnish with sweet basil leaves and serve hot with jasmine rice.