Sichuan-style wok-fried prawns

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Chinese chili bean sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus more as needed
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic
• 4 green onions, white and light green parts finely chopped, dark green parts sliced crosswise into 1-inch long pieces, kept separate
• 8 to 10 small dried Chinese chiles
• 1 pound medium raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1/4 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, coarsely ground

Instructions

1. 1

   Whisk together sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

2. 2

   Heat a wok over high heat, pour in oil, and swirl to cover the surface. Once the oil is very hot and begins to emit smoke, introduce ginger, garlic, and the finely chopped sections of the green onions. Utilizing wok spoons, stir-fry for approximately 20 seconds. Next, add chiles and cook briefly until the chiles begin to soften, about 1 minute.

3. 3

   Push ingredients to one side of the wok. Add in the shrimp and sprinkle sichuan pepper over them; stir-fry shrimp until they turn pink, about 1 minute. Then add in sauce and toss to coat to coat the shrimp. Cook until shrimp are cooked through and sauce is hot, about 2 minutes, then remove wok from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and Sichuan pepper. Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately.