DRY-BRAISED SICHUANESE PRAWNS

A recipe that I stole from the Sichuan Institute of Higher Cuisine，to me this exemplifies everything I love about Sichuanese cookery.It is unapologetic in its use of bold flavours，with a pronounced saltiness，a good hit of chilli and a smoky fragrance from the prawns when they leave the wok.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

vegetable oil，for deep-frying，plus a drizzle

400g raw prawns in their shells，deveined

100g minced pork

1 teaspoon light soy sauce

1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine

50g spring onion greens，finely chopped

20g preserved vegetables

4 red chillies，finely diced

10g fresh root ginger，peeled and finely chopped

10g garlic，finely chopped

5g sugar

100ml chicken stock

1teaspoon sesame oil

1.Heat the oil for deep-frying in a deep-fat fryer to180C.

2.Deep-fry the prawns，in batches，for 1 minute until just cooked.Remove from the oil and drain on kitchen paper.

3.Add a drizzle of oil to a hot wok and stir-fry the minced pork until it becomes aromatic.4.Add the soy sauce，wine and salt to taste，then continue to stir-fry until the pork is dry.

5.Add the deep-fried prawns and all the remaining ingredients，except the sesame oil，and continue to cook until the prawns have absorbed all the liquid and the pan is dry.

6.Finish with the sesame oil and serve immediately.

hancheng

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