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3. Heat a large wok over high heat. Add the oil, dried chilies, and peppercorns, and stir-fry for 20 seconds. Add the sesame oil, and then immediately pour the mixture through a wire strainer into a small heatproof bowl. Discard the peppers and peppercorns, and pour the seasoned oil over the cabbage. Clean and dry the wok.

4. Place the wok over low heat, and add the sugar and vinegar. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Pour over the cabbage, and add the chili oil. Sprinkle the carrot and ginger over the cabbage. Cool the cabbage mixture to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve chilled. (The salad can be stored, covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 week.)

THIS REFRESHING APPETIZER HAS lightly cooked shrimp in a brightly flavored sauce. Makes 4 servings

Shrimp with Cilantro

12 large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and sliced in half lengthwise

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Pinch of salt

Sauce

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 scallion, white part only, trimmed and minced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

2 teaspoons hot bean paste

1 teaspoon rice wine or dry sherry

1 teaspoon hot chili oil

3 teaspoons minced cilantro

¼ head iceberg lettuce, shredded

1. Combine the shrimp, cornstarch, salt, and 1 tablespoon water in a bowl. Mix well, then rinse the shrimp well under cold running water. Fill a medium bowl with ice water. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the shrimp to the boiling water and cook just until they turn white, about 20 to 30 seconds. Using a wide wire-mesh strainer, transfer the shrimp to the ice water, where they will curl up into corkscrews. Cool, then drain and pat dry with paper towels. Place the shrimp in a shallow dish.

2. To make the sauce, heat a large wok over high heat. Add the oil, then the scallion, garlic, and black pepper, and stir-fry for 10 to 15 seconds. Transfer to a medium bowl, add the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, hot bean paste, rice wine, chili oil, and 2 teaspoons of the cilantro, and mix well. Pour the sauce over the shrimp and mix well. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Spread the lettuce on a platter and top with the shrimp. Garnish with the remaining 1 teaspoon cilantro, and serve chilled.

THIS SILKEN DISH OF GLISTENING EGGPLANT bathed in a spicy sauce is a cold rendition of the Eggplant with Garlic Sauce on page 218. It is a perfect summer dish or cold appetizer any time of year. Or serve it alongside grilled fish or steak. The eggplant is cooked with an unusual technique. When it is passed through oil, eggplant absorbs the oil like a sponge. To remove some of the oil, it is dropped into boiling water, then drained and patted dry with paper towels.

Makes 4 servings

Sichuan Eggplant

4 small Japanese eggplants (about 1 pound total), trimmed

Vegetable oil, for passing through

Sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

3 scallions, white part only, trimmed and minced

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

1 ½ tablespoons distilled white vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon rice wine or dry sherry

1 teaspoon hot bean paste

1 teaspoon hot chili oil

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and keep it at a low boil.

2. Using a sharp knife, lightly score the skin of the eggplants in a crosshatch pattern, with the lines about 1 inch apart. Halve or quarter the eggplants lengthwise to make sticks about ½ inch wide. Cut the sticks into 2-inch lengths.

3. Heat a large wok over high heat. Add enough oil to come about 1 ½ inches up the sides of the wok, and heat it to 350°F. Working in batches without crowding, fry the eggplant, turning it occasionally, until tender, about 45 seconds. Do not overcook or it will lose its shape. Using a wide