#The piquant spiciness of Szechuan pepper is quite different from that of black or white pepper. Beware, though, too much can numb the mouth temporarily!# To prepare the garnish, choose unblemished chili peppers with the stems on. Using a small, sharp knife, cut peppers in strips, starting from the pointed end.

Cut down to within 1/2 inch of the stem end. Rinse out the seeds under cold running water and place the peppers in iced water.

Leave the peppers to soak for at least 4 hours or overnight until they open up like a flower.

Cut the fish fillets into 2-inch pieces and season with salt and pepper. Beat the egg well and add flour and wine to make a batter. Dredge the fish lightly with flour and then dip into the batter. Coat the fish well.

Heat a wok and when hot, add enough oil to deep-fry the fish. When the oil is hot, fry a few pieces of fish at a time, until golden brown. Drain and proceed until all the fish is cooked.

Remove all but 1 tbsp of oil from the wok and add the ham, ginger, diced chili pepper, water chestnuts and green onions. Cook for about 1 minute and add the soy sauce and vinegar. If using Szechuan pepper, add at this point. Stir well and cook for a further 1 minute. Remove the vegetables from the-pan and set them aside.

Add the stock to the wok and bring to the boil. When boiling, add 1 spoonful of the hot stock to the cornstarch mixture. Add the mixture back to the stock and re-boil, stirring constantly until thickened.

Stir in the sugar and return the fish and vegetables to the sauce. Heat through for 30 seconds and serve at once. #TlME# Preparation takes about 30 minutes. Chili pepper garnish takes at least 4 hours to soak. Cooking takes about 10 minutes.