Sweet and Sour Prawns

Sweet and Sour Prawns  -  Hilda Mascarenhas

Ingredients:

20 large Prawns/Shrimp (shelled, deveined, washed)
½ tsp. fresh Ginger-Garlic paste
8 cloves fresh Garlic (peeled & finely minced)
½ inch piece fresh Ginger (peeled & grated)
1 cup mixed Bell Peppers (discard stem, seeds, pith & diced)
1 fresh Carrot (peeled, blanched & sliced)
3 tbsps. Sesame Oil or Vegetable Oil
For the Sauce :
2 cups fresh Prawn Stock + Water as needed or if necessary
¼ cup Tomato Ketchup or Tomato Sauce
2 tsps. Brown Sugar or Sugar (or to taste)
½ tsp. Light Soya Sauce or ¼ tsp. Dark Soya Sauce (or to taste)
½ tsp. Chinese Vinegar or White Vinegar (or to taste)
3 tbsps. Corn Flour or use as per desired thickness of the sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste
For Garnishing :
2 tbsps. fresh Spring Onion Greens (chopped)

Procedure :

Marinate the prawns with ginger-garlic paste and a little salt for about 15 mins.
If using Prawn stock, boil washed prawn heads and skins with about 5 cups of water along with some salt. When it comes to a rolling boil, skim off the scum and let boil for another 15 mins. on low heat. Strain to retain the liquid and discard the solids. Use this stock to prepare the sweet and sour sauce. Alternatively, you may use water.
Dilute the corn flour with water until smooth.
Briefly, shallow fry in oil the marinated prawns in a wok on medium high heat. Fry until they turn just pink. Remember they will again cook in the sauce. Set aside the fried prawns.
In the same wok, sauté the chopped ginger and garlic for a few seconds till rawness disappears. Stir in the bell peppers, carrot slices and sauté briefly.
Combine all the above mentioned ingredients for the sauce except the corn flour mixture and seasoning.  Add to the wok. Give it a good stir and let it come to a boil.
Add in the prawns and cook for about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and slowly stir while pouring in the corn flour mixture. Stir continuously making sure the sauce is smooth.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Taste to check seasoning. Adjust sweetness and sourness if necessary.
Simmer for another 2 minutes or until the sauce thickens to desired consistency. If the sauce is too thick add some water to get the right consistency or if it is too thin add a little diluted corn flour to thicken the sauce.
Garnish the sweet and sour prawns with spring onion greens.
Serve hot with fried rice or noodles.

                                      

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