Prawns In Black Bean Sauce (See Jup Ha Kow)

1 lb Medium prawns

1/2 ts Salt

1 Green pepper, cut in 1-inch

-chunks 2 tb Salted black beans

1 Clove garlic, minced

2 tb Fresh ginger root, minced

1/4 c Chicken stock

1 ts Cornstarch

2 tb Oil

Preparation: Shell, devein and clean prawns. Blot dry. Cut along back side, but don't cut through. Wash and rinse black beans 2 or 3 times. Combine with garlic and ginger and mash together until pasty. Add stock and cornstarch. Set aside. Cooking: Heat wok. Add 1 tablespoon oil and reheat. Stir fry green pepper for 1 minute. Set aside. Add 2 tablespoon oil to wok and heat. Stir fry prawns and salt until prawns turn pink. Add black bean mixture and stir until thickened. Add green pepper, stir and serve. Do-ahead notes: Do through preparation. Yield: 4 servings From "The Chinese Village Cookbook." A practical guide to Cantonese country cooking. Rhoda Yee, Yerba Bueana Press, San Francisco. 1975. Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; January 10 1992.