Yield: 4-6 Servings

• 1 pound jumbo prawns, peeled and deveined
• 1 teaspoon salt , plus another 1/8 teaspoon
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• 1 egg white
• 1 Tablespoon corn starch
• 3 cups vegetable oil
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ onion, minced
• 1/3 cup scallions, minced, and separated into white and green parts
• 1 Tablespoon ginger, peeled, and minced
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled, and minced
• 1½ Tablespoons hot bean sauce, such as Har Har brand*
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• 1/3 cup sherry
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 Tablespoons fermented rice, optional
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon sesame oil, optional

*Har Har hot bean sauce is available at specialty markets, including Kalustyan’s- a spice market in New York City or through their website, www.kalustyans.com.

Method:
Sprinkle the peeled and deveined shrimp with a teaspoon of salt, which acts as an abrasive, and helps remove the black vein. Rinse under cold water, and pat very dry with a paper towel or dish cloth.

In a bowl large enough to hold the shrimp, mix 1/8 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon white pepper with egg white. Add shrimp and a Tablespoon of corn starch. Mix thoroughly.

In a wok, heat 3 cups vegetable oil until smoking. Add shrimp, and cook for 1 minute, turning often. Remove and drain the shrimp. Discard the oil, clean the wok, and heat again. Add the olive oil to the wok, and stir-fry the onions until they become translucent. Add the white part of the scallions, ginger, and garlic, and stir-fry for 1 minute.

Add the hot bean paste, and continue to stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the soy sauce, white pepper and sherry, and stir-fry for 5 seconds. Add the fermented rice, and stir-fry for 5 more seconds.

Add shrimp, and 1/3 cup water. Mix corn starch with a 1/4 cup cold water, and add to the shrimp. Add the sesame oil and green parts of the scallions, and mix thoroughly. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Wine Pairing:
A Riesling from the Mosel region of Germany such as the Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese 2002