Steamed Prawns In Mixed Bean Sauce

12 oz medium or large prawns
1 T salted yellow beans
1 t sesame oil
4 to 6 cloves garlic chopped fine
1/2 to 1 chili (r or g) sliced tiny
12 T fermented black beans
1/2 t sugar
4 to 5 T peanut or corn oil
1/2 to 3/4 inch ginger root chopped fine
1 to 1 1/2 T Shaohsing wine or sherry

Mash black and yellow beans with sugar and sesame oil to paste.

Heat wok over high heat until smoke rises. Add the oil and swirl around.

Add the garlic, and as soon as it takes on color, put in the ginger. Stir. Quickly add the mashed bean paste, stir well, and then add the chili. Splash the wine around the side of the wok. As soon as the sizzling dies down, lower the heat, stir well and then pour the sauce into a container to cool.

Pat the prawns dry. Split lengthwise into 2, except for the tails. Arrange around a heatproof serving dish with as slightly raised edge.

Spoon the sauce on the prawns, including all of the oil.

Steam in wok or steamer, over moderately high heat for 3 or 4 minutes. Check to see if the prawns are cooked. Scatter a few Cilantro leaves on the prawns. Replace lid and steam for a brief moment to cook the cilantro partly.

Remove from the heat and again spoon the sauce on the prawns and cilantro leaves. Serve immediately from the dish in which they were cooked.

Quickly add the mashed bean paste, stir well, and then add the chili.

Splash in the wine around the side of the wok. As soon as the sizzling.