For the Sauce:
- 1 ½ sesame oil
- ½ tsp ginger, finely chopped
- ½ tsp garlic, finely chopped
- 175ml (6 fl oz) chicken stock
- 2 whole anise stars
- 1 ½ tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp Hoisin sauce
- ½ tsp Tabasco sauce
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp 5 spice powder
- 2 tsp cornflour dissolved in 1 tbsp water
For the Stir-fry:
- 1 tbsp Szechuan peppercorns
- 1 tbsp salt
- 450g (1 Ib) prawns
- 2 tbsp canola oil, or corn oil
- 2 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
- 175g (6 oz) onions, chopped
- 175g (6 oz) broccoli florets
- 85g (3 oz) green peppers, finely sliced
- 85g (3 oz) red peppers, finely sliced
- 85g (3 oz) yellow peppers, finely sliced
- 175g (6 oz) shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tbsp thin soy sauce
- 85ml (3 fl oz ) dry sherry
- 1 tbsp chilli paste
- 85g (3 oz) spring onions, cut thinly on the bias
- 3 tbsp Szechuan stir fry sauce
For the sauce...
Heat the oil in a small AGA Stainless Steel saucepan. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for 1 minute until softened but not browned. In a bowl combine the remaining ingredients except for the cornstarch mixture. Add them to the saucepan and bring to a simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the star anise. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and let boil 1-2 minutes. Taste and add more Tabasco if desired.
For the stir-fry...
Heat an AGA Cast Aluminium saucepan and toast the peppercorns until they are fragrant. Shake the pan constantly. Remove from heat. Place the peppercorns in a spice grinder and grind.
Season the prawns with the peppercorns and salt and set aside. Heat the AGA 30cm Wok over a high heat. When the wok is hot, add the oil. Add the ginger, garlic and onions and stir fry for 1 minutes. Add the prawns, broccoli, peppers, shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce, sherry and chilli paste. Stir fry until the prawns are cooked and vegetables are al dente, about 5 minutes. Add the spring onions and stir fry for 1 minute. Check seasonings and serve at once.
