Deep Fried Prawns with XO Sauce

(From Y3K Recipes Issue No.5 – March/ April 2002)
Copyright of Y Three K Publisher. All rights reserved.

Ingredients:
3-4 prawns
100g potatoes
15g water chestnuts (diced)
15g carrots (diced)
15g celery (diced)

Home-made XO Sauce:
100g Chinese ham (soaked, shredded)
3 dried scallops (soaked, shredded)
3 pips garlic (minced)
3 shallots (minced)
A little chicken powder
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp Hua Diao wine/Chinese cooking wine

Method:
1. To prepare XO sauce: Heat 2 tbsps oil. Saute shallots and garlic. Add in ham and scallops. Add in chicken powder, sugar and wine. Mix well and set aside.
2. Cut the prawns lengthwise from the back. Stuff in XO sauce. Pierce a piece of bamboo stick.
3. Shred potatoes into long thin strips. Wrap up the prawns with these.
4. Heat up enough oil. Deep fry prawns till golden in colour. Set aside.
5. Heat up 1 tbsp oil. Stir-fry water chestnut, carrot and celery. Add in 1 tbsp XO sauce. Dish up.