Spicy Shrimp Toast

Ingredients

Serves 8 to 10

Sweet Chile Sauce
2/3 cup rice vinegar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons hot chile sauce (Sambal)
2 tablespoons cornstarch (dissolved in 3 1/2 tbs. water)

Shrimp Paste
1 tablespoon ginger, peeled
2 garlic cloves
1/2 pound tiger shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup water chestnuts
1 egg white
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot chile sauce (Sambal)
Salt and white pepper to taste

1/2 loaf sourdough bread, crusts removed and cut into 1 inch triangles
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Directions

1. For sweet chile sauce: Place vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan and simmer until sugar dissolves, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in chile sauce and cornstarch slurry and bring to a boil. Once mixture has come to a boil, remove from heat and allow to cool (sauce will thicken as it cools).

2. For shrimp toast: Place ginger and garlic in a food processor and pulse 6 times.

3. Scrape down sides of bowl and add remaining Shrimp Paste ingredients. Pulse an additional 8 to 10 times or until you have a paste consistency that still has some texture. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Spread 2 teaspoons of mixture onto each triangle of bread and set aside.

5. Pour oil into a heavy-bottom skillet and place over medium-high heat.

6. Carefully place triangles of bread (in batches) shrimp-side down and fry for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown.

7. Flip triangles over and fry for an additional 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm with sweet chile sauce.