Stir-fried prawns with XO sauce

Method

1. If you're using dried scallops for this dish, they will need to be soaked in cold water for an hour before steaming for another hour or so. Once the scallops are tender, roughly chop, and set aside.

2. For the XO sauce: heat half of the 125ml oil in a wok or saucepan set over a very low heat. Add the chopped garlic, followed by the shallot and lemon grass. Poach everything in the oil for 5-10 minutes stirring often.

3. Add the remaining oil to the pan and stir in the dried shrimps, ham, and chilli flakes. If you're using the scallops add them now. Continue frying over a low heat until the seafood takes on a golden hue and the ham becomes crisp. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool. Transfer everything to a large glass jar secured with a lid. Leave everything to steep for a minimum of 2-3 hours.

4. This sauce improves with age and is best left to steep for a couple of weeks in the fridge or a cool place. A little goes a long way - use this sauce as a perky seasoning for stir-fries, noodles and rice dishes.

5. For the stir-fry: heat the rinsed wok over a high heat and add the sesame oil. Tip in the sugar snaps and peppers and stir-fry for a minute before removing from the pan. Add the prawns, sugar and white pepper and continue frying for 2-3 minutes. Return the peppers and sugar snaps to the pan and stir in enough XO sauce to give a spicy kick - you'll probably only need a tablespoon or so. The rest of the sauce can be used for other South East Asian dishes.

6. Combine the cornflour with 50ml water and add to the pan, stirring all the time. This will bring all the juices together. Serve straight away with rice or noodles.

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