Szechuan Pepper Sweet and Sour Shrimp

Yummy, yummy is all that comes to mind when I read this recipe.. it is a bit involved but so worth making at home and not ordering the sticky sweet stuff from a take out restaurant…

• 1 pound small shrimp, cleaned
• 1 tablespoon Szechuan peppers
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 inch fresh ginger, roughly chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and chopped

Roast the Szechuan peppers in a small pan for 2 to 3 minutes. Take out and grind to a powder.

Transfer the ground pepper, salt, garlic, ginger and jalapeno pepper to a mortar and pestle. Pound till a paste is formed and marinate the shrimp for 2 to 3 hours and keep aside.

• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 cup pineapple, cut into small chunks
• 1 red pepper, cut into 1 inch squares
• 1 orange pepper, cut into 1 inch squares
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into 1 inch squares
• 1 cup blood orange or regular orange juice
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped

Transfer the pineapple, red pepper, orange pepper and onion chunks to a lined cookie sheet. Broil on high for 7 to 8 minutes till the veggies are a bit charred. Keep aside.

Mix the orange juice, vinegar, honey, soy sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl, test for seasonings and keep aside.

Heat a wok like pan with the peanut oil. Add the marinated shrimp and cook for about 5 minutes on high heat. Add the charred vegetables and mix well. Add the sauce and bring to a boil. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes and garnish with cilantro and green onions and serve with brown rice.