Chinese Omelettes (Egg Foo Yong)

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(Photo by panduh/Flickr)

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

250 g/8 oz cooked prawns
6 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
peanut oil for frying
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
4 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
1 tablespoon shredded red ginger

Directions

Shell, devein and roughly chop prawns. Beat eggs with salt and pepper. Mix in prawns and spring onions. Heat wok, add 2 teaspoons oil and swirl to coat centre. Pour in 2 tablespoons egg mixture. When browned on underside, turn and cook other side. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Repeat until remaining mixture is used up.

Wipe out wok with paper towels. Combine soy sauce, sherry, vinegar, sugar and 3/4 cup water in wok and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil.

Blend cornflour with 2 tablespoons cold water, stir into sauce and cook, stirring constantly until thickened and clear. Add red ginger and mix through. Serve omelettes with sauce and a sprinkling of coriander leaves.

Recipe excerpted from Encyclopedia of Asian Food by Charmaine Solomon (Periplus Editions, 1998)