Recipe: Ebi Chili

The classic recipe for this dish calls for a Japanese ingredient called ‘tobajan', a spicy miso paste that's somewhat hard to find, so Chinese chili garlic sauce has been substituted for the spice element. While the result may not follow the classic formula, it is a spicy-delicious rendition of Ebi Chili.

1 pound raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 knob ginger root, finely shredded
2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch starch dissolved in 1/4 cup of water
4 scallions, finely sliced

Heat oil in a large wok or skillet. Add ginger and shrimp and stir-fry until shrimp turns pink. Add chicken stock, chili garlic sauce, rice wine, and soy sauce and bring to a simmer. Add cornstarch mixture and simmer, stirring constantly until thickened. Quickly stir in scallions and remove from heat. Serve with steamed rice.

Cook's Note: For an Ebi Chili dish that is closer to the classic recipe, add a tablespoon of miso paste to the sauce.