Imperial Shrimp

It is my personal belief that people who don't like seafood should be beaten with sticks until they reconsider... Fish sticks, that is. Just kidding (obviously). As I was going through the recipes on the eGullet forums, I came upon the Chinese section and chanced upon this gorgeous dish from resident expert Ah Leung. It looked so appetizing, I just had to try it. So I made my way to the Chinese deli (more on that later) to get the numerous sauces I need. That's the total downside to Chinese cooking. You're going to need a whole pantry of sauces that may not see the light of day again (I praise those who manage to go through a bottle of Hoisin Sauce in 2 months). The recipe I've written here is exactly the same as its creator's, but I devised a system so I wouldn't be confused as I went along. (Recipe follows)

Peel, decapitate, and devein 1/2 kilo of medium shrimp. Stir in a bowl together with 1/5 tsp salt, 2 tsp cooking oil, and 2 tsp cornstarch. Set aside in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Prepare 3 bowls. In Bowl 1, add 5 cloves minced garlic, 1 tbsp grated ginger, 1 tsp chili sauce (I used Lee Kum Kee), and 2 tsp Chili Bean Sauce (can find this at the Chinese Deli or at a good supermarket like Megamall Bonus or Unimart). In Bowl 2, add 2 tsp white vinegar, 1 tsp Chinese cooking wine, 1/4 cup chicken broth, 3 tsp sugar, and 15g tomato sauce. In Bowl 3, dissolve 1/2 tsp cornstarch in 2 tsp water.

In a wok over high heat, add 3 tbsp cooking oil and wait till the oil is very hot. Add the shrimp and cook for about 3 minutes or until the color is orange-pink. Remove the shrimp from the pan and drain.

In the same wok, pour in the contents of Bowl 1 and cook for 15 seconds. Pour in the contents of Bowl 2 and bring to a boil. Pour in Bowl 3 to thicken the sauce. Add the parcooked shrimp back in the wok. Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes. Transfer toa serving dish and top with chopped green onions.