This versatile dish is a fantastic variation on the classic fish version of escabeche, with the sauce served over a whole fried or baked fish. But the same sweetly piquant escabeche sauce is also the perfect complement for the delicate flavor of the shrimp. It can be served as a hot or cold appetizer, or as a main dish over steamed rice.

Image © 2009 Celeste Heiter

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup water

• 2 tablespoons sugarcane vinegar

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce

• 1 large lime, juice only (about 3 tablespoons)

• 2 tablespoons ketchup

• 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water

Stir-Fry:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 1/2 red onion, finely sliced (about 1/2 cup)

• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced (about 1 tablespoon)

• 1 small knob ginger root, peeled and finely grated (about 1 tablespoon)

• 1 carrot, coarsely grated

• 1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded & finely sliced

• 1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled, tails intact

Mix together water, vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, ketchup, chili garlic sauce, and sugar. Stir thoroughly and set aside. Heat oil in a wok and stir-fry onion, garlic, ginger, carrot, and jalapeno until fragrant and tender, about 2 minutes. Add sauce mixture, reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute. Stir in cornstarch mixture, add shrimp and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly until sauce thickens and shrimp turns pink, about 1 minute.

As a main dish, serve warm over steamed rice. As an appetizer, serve hot or at room temperature, or refrigerate and serve cold.