Ebi no Chiri-Sōsu (Japanese Shrimp in Chile Sauce)

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon potato starch with 1/4 cup (60ml) cold water until well combined; set aside. Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik Rinse the shrimp under cold running water, massaging the shrimp with your hands, for 1 minute. In a medium bowl, combine the rinsed shrimp, baking soda, egg white, and salt. Add remaining 2 tablespoons potato starch and, using a spoon or clean hands, toss to coat shrimp. Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik Place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. In a carbon-steel wok or 10-inch carbon steel or stainless-steel skillet, heat oil over high heat to 330°F (165°C). Add shrimp, discarding any excess marinade and dropping from as close to the oil’s surface as possible to minimize splashing, and fry, stirring and turning occasionally, until cooked through, about 2 minutes. (Potato starch will not brown significantly like wheat flour would, so the cooked shrimp will still appear quite pale.) Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to prepared baking sheet. Carefully ladle oil through a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium heatproof bowl. Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik Return 2 tablespoons (30ml) oil to now-empty wok and return the wok to high heat (allow remaining oil to fully cool before storing). Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until softened but not browned, about 10 seconds. Add chile-bean paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in chicken stock, ketchup, sugar, vinegar, sake, and negi (or leek). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring, until negi (leek) is softened and tender, about 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste with sugar, vinegar, or salt as required. Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik Add reserved shrimp and toss to coat. Stir in potato starch slurry, a teaspoon or two at a time, until sauce thickens enough to coat the shrimp in a glaze; discard any remaining potato starch-water mixture or reserve for another use. If sauce over-thickens and becomes gloppy, loosen by stirring in water 1 tablespoon at a time. Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik Transfer to a plate and serve immediately. Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik