Sweet and Sour Prawns/Shrimp

This recipe is based on one from ninmsn.com.au which the DH and I changed to suit our own tastes. The original included water chestnuts which we omitted and we added chillies to give a bit of bite and we thoroughly enjoyed the result. When we made it I used 580 grams of prawns but they were jumbo prawns - 7 all up and the 2 of us gobbled up the lot, using smaller prawns you could serve 3 to 4 people. I have included peeling the prawns in the preperation time.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

• SAUCE

• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons sugar
• 5  teaspoons soy sauce
• 3  tablespoons  Chinese white rice vinegar (or cider vinegar)
• 1 1⁄4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2  tablespoons  shaoxing rice wine (or dry sherry or sherry wine)
• 1  tablespoon cornflour (corn starch)
• 2  tablespoons water (to mix with cornflour)

• PRAWNS

• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons  peanut oil
• 3  garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1  piece ginger (2 cm finely chopped)
• 1  spring onion (finely sliced, original recipe called for 4)
• 500  g  prawns (green or raw peeled and deveined, I removed tails)
• 1  carrot (peeled and julienned)
• 1⁄2 red capsicum (bell pepper)
• 1⁄2 green capsicum (bell pepper)
• 2  chilies (I used small red deseeded and julienned)
• 1  chili (I used small red finely sliced seeds as well)

Directions

1. SAUCE - combine all the sauce ingredients in a jug and set aside.
2. Heat a wok over a high heat and add oil and when the wok begins to smoke a little add garlic, ginger, chillies and spring onions tossing with a metal spatula for 20 seconds.
3. Add prawns, carrot and capsicum and continue to cook for 1 minutes and then pour in the sauce and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes or until slightly thickens and then serve immediately with steamed or fried rice.