Deep-Fried Shrimp Balls with Celery Sauce

1 lb Shrimp

2 Slices, thin ginger, fresh

1 cl Garlic

1 Stalk, good-sized celery,

Very crisp and fresh 1 ts Light soy sauce

1 tb Oyster sauce

1 tb Vodka

3 tb Chicken broth

1 tb Cornstarch

1 ts Salt

1 tb Cornstarch

2 c Oil, for deep-frying

Lettuce leaves Devein the shrimp. Chop the shrimp very finely, almost into a paste. Mince the ginger and garlic; keep them separate. Peel the tough strings from the celery stock; slice it at angle into pieces about 1/4-inch thick. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, vodka, chicken broth, and 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch. Reserve this mixture. In another mixing bowl, combine the shrimp with half of the minced ginger and half of the minced garlic; add the salt and the remaining tablespoon of cornstarch. Mix well, and with lightly moistened hands form this mixture into balls about 1-inch in diameter. Heat the oil to 350 degree F and deep-fry the shrimp balls 6 at a time. Drain the balls on paper towels and them keep warm. Put 1 tablespoon of the hot oil from the deep-fry pan in a wok and stir-fry the remaining ginger and garlic until it turns golden; add the celery and stir-fry quickly for about for about a half a minute. Add the reserved sauce mixture and stir until it thickens. On a plate, make a bed of lettuce leaves and arrange the shrimp balls on it, pour the sauce over the shrimp balls and serve hot. Makes 6 to 8 appetizer servings. Recipe: "Chinese Appetizers" by Verdi Published by Irene Chalmers Cookbooks, 1981