Stir-Fried Clams with Thai Chili Jam and Basil Recipe

By
Leela Punyaratabandhu
Leela Punyaratabandhu
Leela Punyaratabanhu is a food writer, recipe developer, and award-winning author specializing in Thai cooking. She has written three cookbooks: Simple Thai Food, Flavors of the Southeast Asian Grill, and Bangkok, which won the 2018 Art of Eating Prize.
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Updated March 31, 2025
Leela Punyaratabandhu

With Nam Prik Pao and additional juice released from the clams, this stir-fry already packs so much flavor that you may not even need to add any fish sauce. The procedure is quite simple and straightforward. The only caution would be that you should not use a nonstick pan for this as the clam shells can create scratches on its surface.

If you don't like clams, you can use 3⁄4 pound of shrimp or squid which works extremely well in this dish also. Don't like seafood, use 3⁄4 pound of bite-sized pieces of pork tenderloin or chicken breast.

Recipe Details

Stir-Fried Clams with Thai Chili Jam and Basil Recipe

Cook 10 mins
Active 5 mins
Total 10 mins
Serves 2 servings
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Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil

  • 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced

  • ¼ cup store-bought or homemade Nam Prik Pao (Thai chili jam)

  • 2 pounds of small clams, cleaned

  • 3 large red or green jalapeno peppers, cut lengthwise diagonally

  • Fish sauce, to taste

  • 1 cup of fresh Thai basil leaves, loosely packed

Directions

  1. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan or a wok over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and fry until it’s fragrant and just starting to turn light brown.

  2. Stir in Nam Prik Pao; mix well.

  3. Add the clams and sliced peppers to the pan; close the lid. Shake the clams around to make sure they open up and are cooked evenly. After about 2 minutes, open the lid. Pick out the clams that don’t open up and discard them.

  4. Check for seasoning. Add fish sauce to taste.

  5. Stir in the basil leaves. Once they’re wilted, remove the pan from heat. Serve over rice.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1042 Calories
38g Fat
42g Carbs
126g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 1042
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 38g 49%
Saturated Fat 7g 34%
Cholesterol 329mg 110%
Sodium 6657mg 289%
Total Carbohydrate 42g 15%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 126g
Vitamin C 115mg 574%
Calcium 502mg 39%
Iron 16mg 89%
Potassium 3215mg 68%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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