Crispy Sweet And Sour Shrimps

This is another recipe from Yummy Magazine that was a surprise hit with the Little Girl.  She prefers eating squid over shrimps, but this dish may have swayed her to liking shrimps a little more. I guess the crispy coating really made this dish extra special. The shrimps were coated with cornstarch and then deep-fried which made their shells edible and the meat inside cooked just right.  The addition of  the sweet-sour sauce with bits of pineapple made this dish perfection.  

Here's the recipe:

For the shrimp
350 grams medium shrimp
salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 cups cooking oil

For the vegetables
2 tbsps corn oil
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 stalk leek, sliced into 1-inch rings
5 slices of carrots
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup canned pineapple chunks, reserve syrup for sweet-sour sauce

For the sweet-sour sauce
2 tbsps cane vinegar
1/2 cup pineapple syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup tomato ketchup
1 bay leaf
2 tbsps sweet chili sauce
1 cup water
1 tbsp cornstarch, dissolved in 1 1/2 tbsp water

1. Prepare the shrimp. Cut off the legs then slice the back halfway through, making sure the shell, head and tail are still attached.  Season with salt and pepper.

2. Dip the shrimp in egg then coat with cornstarch.  Heat oil in wok then deep-fry shrimp just until color turns pink and the coating becomes golden and crisp.  Drain on paper towels.

3. Cook the vegetables.  Heat oil and stir-fry onions and garlic until fragrant.  Add the rest of the vegetables except for pineapple chunks.  Saute until tender, about 1 minute.  Add pineapple chunks and mix well; set aside.

4. Make the sweet-sour sauce.  In a saucepan mix all the ingredients (except for the cornstarch mixture) and simmer over medium heat until reduced in half.  Strain and let cool.  Place 1 cup of the sauce in a wok and bring to a boil.  Thicken with the cornstarch and water mixture.  Once thickened, toss in the fried shrimps and vegetables.  Transfer to platter and garnish with sliced leeks. Serve immediately

* If there is excess unused sauce, you can use it as dipping sauce for fried dishes.