Toms Szechuan Pepper And Salt Prawns Food

SZECHUAN SWEET & SOUR PRAWNS

Steps:

• Peel and slice the pineapple lengthways into 8 wedges, then cut out and discard the woody core. Preheat a large griddle pan over a high heat, add the pineapple for 4 minutes, or until charred and bar-marked, turning occasionally, then remove to a board to cool. Meanwhile, halve, deseed and finely slice the peppers lengthways. Add to the griddle for about 3 minutes, or until slightly softened and bar-marked, turning halfway.
• Peel the garlic and deseed the chillies, then roughly chop and place into a pestle and mortar. Bash with a pinch of salt to a rough paste. Peel, finely chop and add the ginger, then bash until broken down and combined. Place the chilli paste into a large bowl with the prawns and a splash of oil, then mix well.
• Heat a lug of oil in a large wok or non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the prawn mixture and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, or until just cooked through. Meanwhile, chop the cooled pineapple into bite-sized chunks. In a bowl, combine the pineapple juice, vinegar, soy, cornflour and a splash of water, then add to the wok with the chargrilled pineapple and peppers. Bring to the boil, then simmer over a low heat for about 2 minutes, or until thickened and reduced. Pick over the coriander leaves, then serve with steamed rice.

TOM'S SZECHUAN PEPPER AND SALT PRAWNS

Steps:

• Prepare pepper-salt: In a small saute pan over medium heat, toast Szechuan and white peppercorns for about 3 minutes, shaking the pan. They will smoke and pop like popcorn, but don't let them burn. Let cool, then coarsely grind the pepper in a spice mill, and combine with salt in a small bowl; set aside.
• Place cornstarch in a medium bowl. Heat peanut oil in a wok or large saute pan over high heat until it is just short of smoking. Toss prawns in the cornstarch, and remove excess by shaking coated prawns in a sieve. Add prawns to the wok, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing a few times to cook through on both sides. With a large spatula, hold the prawns in place, tip the wok, and pour off and discard the excess oil. Add garlic, minced chile, and pepper-salt mixture. Return the wok to the heat, and toss prawns with the spices until spices release their fragrance and coat the shells, about 1 minute.

CHINESE SALT AND PEPPER SHRIMP

Steps:

• Devein the shrimp and marinate with salt and ginger. Set aside for 15 minutes.
• During this process, let make the real deal "salt and pepper". Toast Sichuan peppercorn with salt over slow fire until aromatic (takes around 1 minute). Transfer the mixture out and then ground into powder.
• Coat shrimp with starch. Shake off extra starch before frying.
• Heat up oil in wok until you can see waves on the surface. Fry the shrimp for to 1 minute by two batches. Transfer shrimp out. High oil temperature is the key factor to a great flavor.
• Pour the extra oil out and leave only around 1/2 tablespoon. Fry garlic, scallion and chopped fresh peppers until aromatic.
• Return the shrimp and sprinkle 3/4 of the salt and pepper.
• Transfer out and sprinkle the remaining on the surface or on small corner of the serving plate.

MONSOON SALT AND PEPPER WHOLE PRAWNS

Steps:

• Rinse the shrimp. Dry thoroughly and set aside.
• Combine the three peppers in a small skillet and heat, shaking, until the Sichuan peppercorns begin to smoke. Remove from the heat and grind to a coarse powder in a spice grinder. Combine with the salt, five-spices and sugar. Set aside half of the mixture for another time.
• Heat four cups of peanut oil in a wok until nearly smoking. Fry the prawns quickly and remove to drain with a large slotted spoon or skimmer.
• Heat a dry wok to smoking. Add the prawns and, while tossing them vigorously, sprinkle them very liberally with the salt and pepper mixture. This should take another 30 seconds or so. Turn off the heat, toss quickly with the coriander and serve hot.

SZECHUAN PEPPER-SALT PRAWNS

Steps:

• To make pepper-salt: In a small saute pan over medium heat, toast the Sichuan and white peppercorns, shaking the pan, for about 3 minutes.
• Do not let them burn.
• They may smoke and pop like popcorn; this is OK.
• Remove the pan from the heat; set aside to cool slightly.
• In a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle, coarsely grind the peppercorns.
• Transfer to a bowl and combine with the salt.
• Set aside.
• To make shrimp: In a wok or large saute pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil until hot but not smoking.
• Working quickly, in a bowl, toss the shrimp in the cornstarch and remove the excess cornstarch by shaking the coated shrimp in a sieve or strainer.
• Add the shrimp to the wok and cook, tossing a few times to cook through on both sides, for 2 to 3 minutes.
• With a large spatula or other implement, hold the shrimp in place, tip the wok and very carefully pour off and discard the excess oil.
• Add the garlic, chili pepper and pepper-salt mixture.
• Return the wok to the heat and toss the shrimp with the spice mixture until the spices release their fragrance and coat the shrimp, about 1 minute.
• Remove from the heat.
• A step ahead: The pepper-salt can be made a week or more ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature.

SALT AND PEPPER PRAWNS (SHRIMP)

Steps:

• Peel, devein and butterfly the prawns, leaving the tails intact.
• Combine the flour salt and 2 teaspoons of the ground peppercorns in a large bowl. Add prawns and toss to coat in the flour mixture. Shake off the excess flour from each prawn.
• Heat the oil in a wok or frypan until very hot. Cook prawns in small batches for about 2 minutes or until crisp. Transfer prawns to a plate lined with paper towel to drain.
• In a seperate bowl, combine the salt flakes with the remaining teaspoon of ground peppercorns.
• Place prawns on a serving plate and sprinkle with the salt & pepper mix. Serve with lemon wedges.
• Enjoy!

SZECHUAN SALT-PEPPER

Steps:

• Combine salt and peppercorns in heavy small skillet over low heat. Cook until aromatic and salt begins to color, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Grind in mortar with pestle or in spice grinder. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container.)