SICHUAN PRAWNS

Ienjoy making Chinese food at home. It's so simple,easy to make and totally delicious!Whenever we are confused about where to eat out,we end up at a Chinese or Thai restaurant. The aroma that wafts around in the restaurant as you walk in, is just enough for me to build up an appetite. I ate a LOT of amazing Chinese food growing up. Mamma and Amma are so good at it. Not a week passes by without having Chinese food for dinner. It's the same even now, in my home in Kannur.

Every time I make it, I tell myself I should do more,atleast once a week. But, with the usual drama with Ian,my cooking is always last minute. I rarely plan. I cannot plan,that's the fact. Everytime I come across a good cookbook, I tell myself that I should create a plan for the coming week and shop accordingly. Instead, I always find myself digging into my freezer,fridge and pantry to see what I have on had, and cook with it. Luckily, most of them have been a success ! :)
Why is it that I can never plan ahead for future meals? Are you like that too? Well, that isn't the case when we call people over to share our meals with. That takes a lot of planning from my side,to make sure that I execute everything properly in time.The menu will be decided atleast a week earlier and then shopping lists are made,plans are made (including the timings) as to when to start with what!

Recently,we bought a beautiful red wok. I have so many memories regarding a wok!Mamma always made her Chinese food in a wok she brought back from Malaysia, many many moons ago.Mamma had given Amma one, but,since our lovely little Kannur is a seaside town and the fact that we live almost in the beach didn't help it. It rusted. Amma tried her best to save it by soldering the metal but eventually,we bid goodbye to it.
When we went shopping for a wok, I was torn between two things I saw there. It was another beautiful multifunctional blue pot and this shining red wok.When I told Jobin the affinity towards the wok because of all the memories I have attached with it, he gave me a thumbs up to pick that shiny red thing! Then, I waited. I waited for that perfect day to inaugurate the wok and that perfect dish that I wanted to make in it.

So,when we went to our seafood market,I bought some Tiger Shrimp because I am totally in love with shrimp and selected seafood.Then,I bought some rice noodles too,thinking about pairing the two together. Jobin's mom loves rice noodles and I try to make it whenever I can when she visits us.So,as you would have guessed by now, the combination was Sichuan Prawns with Sesame Garlic Noodles. I waited for Jobin's mom to get here to inaugrate the wok and I made one of my favourite seafood in it.The recipe for this fabulous shrimp is from our family favourite Chinese cookbook by Mrs. Bhanu Ravindran.

SICHUAN PRAWNS
Serves 4

Ingredients:
500 grams tiger shrimp,cleaned
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoon tomato ketchup
2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon roasted white sesame seeds,ground
1 tablespoon cayenne
1 tablespoon white vinegar

6 tablespoon oil
5 green serrano chilies, chopped
5 red serrano chilies,chopped
1/2 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoon chopped ginger
1 large red onion,sliced

1 teaspoon cornstarch + 3 tablespoon water
3 spring onions,chopped

Method: Marinate the shrimp with salt and pepper,refrigerate while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
In a small bowl, mix together tomato ketchup,soy sauce,black pepper, ground sesame seeds, cayenne & vinegar.
In a wok or in a large frying pan, heat 3 tablespoon oil on high heat and fry the shrimp for 2 minutes,per side, Keep them aside. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil into the same wok and let it heat up. Add the chopped chilies,garlic,ginger and onions. Let them cook for 2 minutes.Lower the heat to medium and then, add the sauces and fried shrimp.Stir well to mix. Add the cornflour mixed with water and cook for a minute. Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve hot!

This is one fiery hot super delicious curry! I can tolerate heat from chilies quite a bit and still, this curry was like very hot for me. Don't even think of giving it to your little ones,as is. Sichuan stuff is meant to be spicy hot! If you want to decrease the heat,cut down on the chilies and the cayenne. If you feel that the heat is not upto your mark,after making the adjustments,adjust it with black pepper. in the end.Ian didn't get a share of this :)