Seafood with Crisp Thai Basil

This recipe is specially prepared for those who love seafood. While cooking this you can smell the fresh delightful breeze from the sea. Photograph is shown at the end of the article and it is taken by the author. 

Ingredients: 

500g squid hoods 

500g firm white fish fillets 

500g baby octopus 

24 pieces uncooked king prawns 

3 tablespoons peanut oil 

2 cloves garlic crushed 

1 fresh small red Thai chilies, sliced thinly(optional) 

2 medium carrots slice thinly into strips 

6 green onions, sliced thinly 

2 tablespoons fish sauce 

2 tablespoons oyster sauce 

2 table spoon lime juice 

¾ cup peanut oil, extra 

½ cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves 

Procedure:

1. Score squid in a diagonal pattern. Cut squid and fish into 4 centimeter pieces; devein and prawns; leaving tails intact. Remove and discard head and beak of each octopus; cut each octopus in half. Rinse under cold water and drain.

2. Heat half of the oil in large saucepan; stir fry seafood in batches until color changed, fish is cook as desired, and squid and octopus are tender. Dish out and cover to keep warm. 

3. In same clean pan heat remaining oil; stir fry garlic, chili and carrot until just tender. Return seafood to pan, add onion, sauces and juice; stir fry tossing gently until hot. 

4. I a small pan heat extra peanut oil until sizzling; fry basil in batches until crisp but make sure the color is still green. Drain on kitchen paper towel.  

5. Dish out the seafood and top with crisp basil leaves. 

Tips: 

- Use any white fish fillet, be sure they are firm and boned properly; use tweezers to remove bones. 

- Be sure to heat the oil really hot before putting the seafood, take it out as soon as they change in color. 

- Fry the basil leave completely dry. Take them out as soon as the edges begin to curl. 

- Be careful with spitting oil when frying the basil leaves.