The first time I fixed this, my husband and I were so astonished by the deliciousness of it that I got up from the table and made another batch! We use small whole squid, but you could cut them into rings. Don't take too many shortcuts -- it's okay to use brown sugar, but try to find Thai basil. Definitely use plenty of fresh chilies for their flavor, cut out the seeds and ribs to keep the heat level down.