Wine-Marinated Prawns

Large prawns are marinated in wine and sugar then quickly fried with leek, green pepper and celery in this delicate dish. Of all the Chinese wines, the Sichuan-brewed wu liang ye (five-grained wine) is best to bring out the richness of the prawns. It is an intensely flavoured liquor made from sorghum grains, glutinous rice, barley, wheat and corn and is a heady 60 per cent proof. However, it is also expensive and not easy to find except in major Chinese supermarkets, so the next best thing