Recipe - Chinese Popcorn (Sweet And Pungent Shrimp)

1 pound Raw shrimp
One half Egg white; beaten
1 cup Cornstarch
One half teaspoon Salt
3 to
4 cup Oil; for deep frying
Green onions; for garnish

SWEET AND PUNGENT SAUCE
4 One half tablespoon Sugar
4 One half tablespoon Catsup
One fourth cup Vinegar
One half teaspoon Salt
1 tablespoon Sherry
One half teaspoon Cornstarch
1 teaspoon Oil
2 lg Garlic cloves; minced
Three fourths teaspoon Minced fresh ginger root
1 tablespoon Chopped green onion
1 teaspoon Crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon Lemon zest
1 teaspoon Orange zest

A reader who requested the recipe for a sweet and pungent shrimp from the
Panda Inn in Pasadena won the everlasting thanks of our tasting panel.
Because it's as impossible to eat just one of these as it is to eat a
single kernel of popcorn, the recipe is often called Chinese popcorn.
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Peel and devein the shrimp. Slice in halves lengthwise. Rinse well and pat
dry. Add the egg white to the shrimp and mix well. Mix 11/2tablespoons
cornstarch with salt and add to shrimp. Stir to coat well. Add 11/2
tablespoons oil and mix well again. Place the shrimp in a bowl and
refrigerate at least 2 hours.Remove the shrimp and dust with remaining
cornstarch. Shrimp should be dry to the touch. Heat the remaining oil in a
large wok to 350 to 375 degrees. Fry the shrimp 1One half to 2 minutes until
crisp, being careful to separate them with a long handled wooden spoon or
chopsticks to prevent sticking. It may be necessary to fry the shrimp in
several batches. When done, remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and
drain well. Combine the shrimp and the sweet and pungent sauce and toss
quickly to coat. Immediately turn out onto a platter and sprinkle with
finely chopped green onions. SWEET AND PUNGENT SAUCE: Combine the sugar,
catsup, vinegar, and salt, and set aside. Heat the oil in a wok. Add the
garlic, ginger, green onion, red pepper, and zests of lemon and orange;
cook 30 seconds. Stir in the sugarcatsup mixture. Immediately add the
sherry mixture and cook until slightly thickened.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini