I couldn't find chili-garlic sauce at my grocery store. After spending about five minutes pacing up and down the shelf, because I get very nervous about this kind of thing, I substitued black-bean and garlic sauce. It turned out to be wonderful.

INGREDIENTS
3/4 pounds sea scallops
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1 tomato
2 Tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
Cilantro sprigs

Chili-Wine Sauce:
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 tsp chili garlic sauce
2 tsp oyster sauce
1 1/2 tsp sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pat scallops dry with paper towels. Place in a bowl with cornstarch and salt; let stand for five minutes.
2. Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Slice tomato and reserve for garnish.
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan over high heat. Add garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about ten seconds.
5. Add sauce; simmer over medium heat, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.
6. Place a wok over medium heat until hot. Add remaining 1 Tbsp oil, swirling to coat sides. Add scallops; cook until they turn opaque, about 2 minutes on each side.
7. Pour sauce onto a rimmed serving plate; arrange scallops over sauce. Garnish with tomato and cilantro.

REFERENCE
Martin Yan, Martin Yan's Feast. (San Francisco: Bay Books, 1998), 337.

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