Longjing xia ren (龙井虾仁, Dragon Well shrimp) is one of the most elegant dishes of Hangzhou cuisine — peeled freshwater shrimp briefly poached in water steeped with Longjing (Dragon Well) green tea, then tossed in a simple sauce with the tea leaves themselves. The dish is a study in the Jiangnan aesthetic: the freshest possible primary ingredient, a single defining secondary ingredient (tea), minimal intervention, and a flavour that is simultaneously delicate and complex. It is a springtime dish — Longjing tea is a pre-Qingming harvest tea (明前茶, ming qian cha, tea harvested before the Qingming festival in early April), and the freshwater shrimp season coincides with the new tea harvest.
The tea: Use high-quality Longjing tea — specifically the pre-Qingming harvest (明前) which has the most tender leaves, the lowest bitterness, and the most complex fragrance. Steep 1 tsp of dry Longjing leaves in 100ml of water heated to 80C (not boiling — boiling water destroys the delicate compounds in green tea) for 2 minutes. Drain the leaves and reserve both the tea liquid and the soaked leaves. The shrimp: Use very fresh small freshwater shrimp, peeled. Velvet briefly — a light egg white and salt coating, 15 minutes. The cooking: Heat the wok with a small amount of neutral oil. Add the shrimp. Toss very briefly at moderate heat (30 seconds). Add the tea liquid. Toss briefly — the liquid reduces almost immediately. Add the reserved tea leaves. Season with a tiny amount of salt and a few drops of sesame oil.
Using low-quality tea: The tea flavour is the point — using a poor-quality Longjing produces a weak, grassy result. Overcooking the shrimp: The shrimp need approximately 60 seconds total cooking time — they become rubbery immediately beyond that.
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Fish and Rice (2016)