Crispy Prawns with Strange-Flavor Sauce from China Moon Cookbook by Barbara Tropp

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 pound fresh prawns, shelled, deveined, and butterflied partially or fully if large
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 large egg white
• 4 to 6 cups corn or peanut oil, for deep-frying
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold chicken stock or water
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green and white scallion rings
• 1½ teaspoons dried red chili flakes
• 1½ cups China Moon Double Stock or unsalted chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
• Green and white scallion julienne, for garnish
• Finely julienned or diced red and/or yellow bell pepper, for garnish
• 1 cup water chestnut starch