Shrimp in Spicy Gan Shao Sauce

For gan shao, first clean the large shrimp, remove the veins, and pat them dry with a paper towel. Well-dried pieces sear beautifully and stay firm, because wet ones would steam instead of browning and thin the glaze.

Finely chop the garlic and ginger. Cut the spring onion into rings and keep the white part apart from the green tops.

In a bowl, stir together the tomato paste, ketchup, chili paste, soy, rice vinegar, sugar, and stock. Separately, mix the cornstarch into a little cold water.

Heat the oil in the wok until it shimmers, then add the seafood. Cook for about 2 minutes per side, just until pink, and lift the pieces onto a plate.

Toss the garlic, ginger, and the white spring onion into the remaining oil. Fry briefly, only long enough to release their aroma, so nothing browns or turns bitter.

Pour in the mixture and let it bubble. When it heats through, whisk in the cornstarch slurry and keep stirring until glossy and thick.

Return the pieces to the wok and turn them in the thick, spicy coating. Let almost all the liquid cook off so it clings to every bite, which is the whole point of this Sichuan method.

Taste and adjust with salt and, if you like, a drop of sesame oil. Go easy, because the soy and the chili paste already carry plenty of salt.

Scatter the green onion tops over the dish and serve at once with steamed jasmine rice. That glossy sweet-and-spicy coating tastes best piping hot.