[QUOTE=cher3]
It’s the basil and fish sauce. I’m not absolutely sure that all thai restaurants use oyster sauce, but I do know this comes out similar to the dishes I’ve had in restaruants. I wing it on the oyster sauce–just shake it out of the bottle until you have as much sauce as you want. Don’t overdo it, or it will be too salty, though. I use a combination of bell peppers and chilis. I don’t like it as hot as the restaurants usually make it.
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I’ve googled for Thai Squid dishes and the most common recipe isPla Meuk Pad Prik (Fried Squid with Hot Sauce) and though there are many different variations they all seem to contain oyster sauce.
[QUOTE=devilsknew] Fish Sauce. It’s the ubiquitous Southeast asian version of soy sauce that is a very distinctive ingredient in most Thai dishes and sauces. Don’t let the smell straight from the bottle fool ya… it’s quite stinky straight but when used properly as an ingredient in dishes it enhances and ties flavors together very nicely.
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Oh, then I have nam pla in my fridge, and I didn’t even know it!
But I thought fish sauce was rendered anchovies, and had nothing to do with soy.
If the squid is an elder god then I would recommend being eaten first. It’s an unpleasant fate but nonetheless preferable to going mad while everyone else gets eaten.
Thanks all, lots of interesting ideas. I should have enough to try a couple of these. That garlic pepper squid recipe sounds good too, so I might have to go out and get some oil to fry stuff in.