The bucatini talay by Chef Ann Ahmed is a standout dish, combining Italian and Laotian flavors. This pasta dish boasts generous use of seafood with a boost of tom yum flavor. You can now whip up this luxurious bucatini talay with the following recipe.
Ingredients: (For 4 Servings)
● Uncooked bucatini pasta, 8 ounces
● Peeled and deveined tail-on raw jumbo shrimp, 8 ounces
● Cleaned and cut squid tubes, 6 ounces or 1 cup
● Sea scallops, 5 pieces or 3½ ounces
● Chopped garlic cloves, 2-3 cloves or 2 teaspoons
● Halved cherry tomatoes, ½ cup
● Finely chopped lemongrass from 1 stalk, 1 tablespoon
● Thinly sliced fresh makrut lime leaves, 1-2 leaves or 1 teaspoon, divided
● Roughly chopped fresh Thai basil leaves, ¼ cup plus more for garnishing
● Chile paste with soybean oil, ¼ cup
● Tom yum paste, ¼ cup
● Fish sauce, 1 tablespoon
● Tamarind powder, 1 teaspoon
● Olive oil, ½ cup
● Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon
● Granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon
Method:
● Take tom yum paste, chile paste, fish sauce, sugar, salt, tamarind powder, lemongrass, and ½ teaspoon sliced makrut lime leaves in a medium bowl. Stir well and set aside.
● Boil a large pot of salted water over high heat. Add bucatini pasta and cook al dente. Drain the pasta but reserve ½ cup of the liquid.
● Place a large skillet over medium heat and pour olive oil. Add chopped garlic to the heated oil and cook for about 1 minute until golden brown. Then stir in halved cherry tomatoes and cook for about 3 minutes until they blister and soften.
● Add 3 tablespoons of the paste mixture to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Once the mixture gets caramelized, add the scallops, squid, and shrimp. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the seafood gets cooked through and is opaque.
● Now, add Thai basil and pasta with the reserved cooking liquid. Stir constantly and cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce evenly coats the pasta. Turn the heat off.
● Evenly divide the ready bucatini talay among 4 bowls and garnish each with additional Thai basil and remaining makrut lime leaves. Serve and enjoy immediately.