Sichuan Chilli Prawns

Ingredients:

500g peeled & deveined prawns

1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns

5 spring onions (scallions)

1 cup plain flour

Vegetable oil for shallow frying & stir-frying

6 garlic cloves ~ roughly chopped

5cm ginger ~ peel & sliced into fine strips

10 dried red chilies ~ cut into small 

Marinade

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

Sauce

2 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp Chinese Shaoxing wine/Chinese Cooking wine

1 tsp sugar

Directions/Instruction:

1. Combine the prawns with the marinade ingredients.  Set aside while preparing the remaining ingredients.
2. Heat the Sichuan peppercorns in a dry frying pan over medium heat.  Keep them moving in the pan & cooking for 2-3 mins or until fragrant.  Transfer to a mortar & use a pestle to grind them to a fine powder.  Set aside for later use.
3. Finely slice the pale part of the spring onions & keep aside.  Then cut the remaining green part of the spring onion into batons.  Keep these separately.
4. In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the stir-fry sauce.
5. Pour enough vegetable oil into a large non-stick frying pan to coat the bottom to about a 1cm depth.  Heat the pan over high heat.  Coat the prawns in the flour, shake off any excess flour & then carefully place each prawn into the oil.  Cook for about 2-3 mins each side or until golden brown.  Drain on a paper towel.
6. Discard the oil from the pan & clean it.  Return to medium-high heat.  Add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil & then add the garlic, ginger, chilies & the pale part of the spring onion.  Stir-fry for about a min or until fragrant.  Then add the prawns & sprinkle over the ground Sichuan peppercorns.  Toss to coat.  Then add the stir-fry sauce & toss until well combined & the prawns are cooked through.  Scatter over the green part of the spring onions.  Remove from heat & serve. 

Note:

To make alcohol free, use chicken stock instead of Chinese wine.