Ingredients
- 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) tiger prawns (shrimp)
- 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1/2 egg white, beaten
- oil for deep-frying
- 150 g (5 1/2 oz) snowpeas (mangetout), ends trimmed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 spring onion (scallion), finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
- 1/2 teaspoon roasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon chilli bean paste (toban jiang)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste (purée)
Method
1. Peel and devein the prawns, leaving the tails intact. Combine the cornflour with enough water to make a paste. Stir in the egg white and a pinch of salt, then stir in the prawns.
2. Fill a wok one-quarter full of oil. Heat the oil to 180°C (350°F), or until a piece of bread fries golden brown in 15 seconds when dropped in the oil. Cook the prawns for 1 minute, stirring to separate them. Remove the prawns from the wok with a wire sieve or slotted spoon as soon as the colour changes, then drain. Pour the oil from the wok, leaving 1 tablespoon.
3. Reheat the reserved oil over high heat until very hot and stir-fry the snowpeas with the salt and sugar for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove and place in the centre of a serving platter.
4. Reheat the wok again and stir-fry the spring onion and ginger for a few seconds. Add the prawns, soy sauce and rice wine, blend well and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, then add the sesame oil. Transfer about half of the prawns to one end of the serving platter.
5. Add the chilli bean paste and tomato paste to the remaining prawns, blend well, tossing to coat the prawns, then transfer the prawns to the other end of the platter.
