This dish comes together so quickly it will amaze you and your family. You can try it with Thai green or yellow curry as well. To save time, purchase peeled uncooked shrimp.

If you have trouble finding some of the ingredients for this dish, there are some easy substitutions you can make, and you will still end up with the same delicious results. For the tamarind, make a paste out of lemon juice and dried dates, or use 1/2 cup cider vinegar mixed with 1 Tbsp sugar. For the galangal, use fresh ginger. For the lemon grass, use the rind of 4 small lemons.

This is a quick and lemon-lime-tasting recipe adapted from The Young Thailand Cookbook by Wandee Young and Byron Ayanoglu (Random House Canada). Fresh clams are a must. Look for specimens that have intact shells, and that close when they’re tapped. Serve with hot sauce and steamed rice.

Use with caution! This sauce is very spicy. The recipe is from The Young Thailand Cookbook by Wandee Young and Byron Ayanoglu (Random House Canada).