Kung Pao Shrimp 宫保虾球gōng bǎo xiā qiú

The emphasis on flavour makes Sichuanese food a robust and confident cuisine. The Sichuan cuisine boasts 24 different types of ‘complex flavours’复合味. The Kung Pao taste (the sweet-sour-scorched chili flavour) is obviously the most beautiful one. The two spices (Szechuan Peppercorns and Dried Chillies) are sizzled in oil until the chillies are darkening. Throw in a bit of sweet and sour. And you have Kung Bao Flavour, a truly marvellous taste.

Serves 3-4,

• 500g                            shrimp, peeled and deveined (this calls for about 1000g fresh shrimp)
• 1 teaspoon                  salt
• 1.5 tablespoons           Chinese cooking wine料酒
• 1 teaspoon                  corn flour玉米淀粉
• ½ cup (8 tablespoons) cooking oil
• 3 tablespoons               Sichuan peppercorns四川花椒
• 1.5 tablespoons           garlic, minced蒜末
• 1 tablespoon                ginger, minced姜末
• 10g                               dried red chili, roughly chopped干红辣椒
•  60g                              leek (only white part), cut into small sections. Try to get 2 small-size of leek if possible. If not…