Kung-Pao Shrimp

It's not particularly French, but here's what I did with some of the shrimp I bought in Blois on Friday. It's called kung-pao and the recipe is pretty straightforward. The main ingredients, besides sauces, are onions, bell peppers, and peanuts (or cashews).

It's easy. First, stir-fry the shrimp until they are just beginning to turn pink, and then set them aside.

Second, stir-fry the onions and peppers, cut into strips or diced, until they start to soften.

Finally pour on the sauce. Here's what's in it:

• light soy sauce
• sriracha pepper sauce
• balsamic vinegar
• grated or pressed garlic
• grated ginger
• nuoc mam (fish sauce)
• shrimp broth
• corn or potato starch
• tomato paste

Pour it over the vegetables and let it thicken slightly. Then put the shrimp back in the pan and re-heat in the sauce for just a minute or two. Stir and serve over steamed rice (white or brown).

Don't forget to sprinkle on some roasted peanuts or cashews. You could make this with chicken, pork, or tofu instead of shrimp. I'm not giving proportions for the sauce ingredients because you might like more or less sriracha, more or less garlic, more or less ginger, etc. This recipe does give quantities, and it's what I used as a guideline.

The recipe is in a book published in the U.K. called The Complete Chinese Cookbook (© 1974,1978). The author was Kenneth Lo (1913-1995). His recipe is for chicken, but you can substitute. I must have bought the book back in the early '80s when I lived in Paris. Oh, alongside the kung-pao shrimp we also had some steamed Shanghai choy, which I bought in the same shop where I found shrimp and okra. It was good with the kung-pao sauce.