Hot and Sour Shrimp Lo Mein

Ingredients :

1 pound fresh medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 pound Chinese egg noodles, or Italian fettucine or linguini
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 red bell pepper
6 ounces snow peas
1 cup baby carrots
2 1/4-inch slices ginger
Hot and Sour Sauce
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 4 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

Preparation :

Rinse the shrimp under warm running water. Cut in half lengthwise if desired. Add the rice wine or sherry and cornstarch. Marinate the shrimp for 15 minutes.

Fill a large pot of water with enough water to cover the noodles. Bring to a boil. Add the noodles and boil for 5 minutes. Drain, run under cold water, and drain again. Toss with 1 tablespoon sesame oil.Cut the red bell pepper in half, remove the seeds and cut into 1-inch strips. Blanch the snow peas and carrots briefly in boiling water until they turn a bright color. Submerge in ice cold water, remove and drain thoroughly. Mince the ginger.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together sauce ingredients and set aside.

Heat a wok over medium-high to high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the ginger and stir-fry until aromatic (about 30 seconds). Add the shrimp. Stir-fry until they turn pink. Remove from the wok.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the carrots. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the snow peas. Stir-fry for another minute, then add the red bell peppers.

Push the vegetables up to the side of the wok. Add the sauce in the middle. Heat to boiling, then add the noodles and shrimp. Mix everything together. Heat through and serve hot.