Longjing Shrimp

Longjing Shrimp

　　Legend has it that a chef in Hangzhou was inspired by the line from Su Dongpo’s poem “Looking at the South of the River”: “Use the new fire to brew new tea, poetry and wine while still young.” He used pre-Qingming Longjing tea, celebrated for its “bright green color, rich aroma, sweet taste, and beautiful shape,” together with fresh river shrimp to make the dish. The finished shrimp are as tender as white jade, and the tea leaves are fresh green and aromatic, with elegant color and a distinctive taste. Tianwaitian Restaurant in Hangzhou is the origin of this dish. (Hangzhou)

　　Longjing Shrimp is a classic dish that embodies the delicate beauty of West Lake. Its creation is said to have been inspired by Su Dongpo’s poem “Looking at the South of the River,” which includes the lines: “Don’t sigh over old times with old friends; use the new fire to brew new tea, and enjoy poetry and wine while you’re still young.” In ancient times, it was customary not to light fires during the Cold Food Festival, and the first fire lit after the festival was called “new fire.” The tea picked at this time was the finest “pre-Qingming” tea, just after the Cold Food Festival and right before Qingming Festival. Longjing tea is famed for its four excellences: “bright green color, rich aroma, sweet taste, and beautiful shape.” The chef combined these “four excellences” with freshly caught river shrimp to create a new masterpiece—Longjing Shrimp.

　　As the name suggests, Longjing Shrimp is made with tender shrimp paired with the young sprouts of Longjing tea, making it a famous dish with strong Hangzhou local character. The shrimp are jade-white and tender, the tea buds are fresh green and fragrant, with elegant color and a unique taste. It leaves a refreshing aftertaste and is truly memorable, standing out as one of the finest dishes in Hangzhou cuisine.

　　Longjing Shrimp is made with live river shrimp and freshly picked Longjing tea around the Qingming Festival. The shrimp are white and tender, the tea leaves are green and fragrant, and the dish boasts elegant color and a unique flavor, representing a classic example of traditional Hangzhou cuisine.

　　Story

　　Hangzhou Story

　　Legend has it that a chef in Hangzhou was inspired by the line from Su Dongpo’s poem “Looking at the South of the River”: “Use the new fire to brew new tea, poetry and wine while still young.” He used pre-Qingming Longjing tea, known for its “bright green color, rich aroma, sweet taste, and beautiful shape,” along with fresh river shrimp to create the dish. The finished shrimp are as tender as white jade, and the tea leaves are fresh green and aromatic, with elegant color and a unique taste. Tianwaitian Restaurant in Hangzhou is the origin of this dish.

　　Qianlong Emperor Story

　　Another legend says that one day, Emperor Qianlong went incognito and tried a cup of freshly brewed Longjing tea at a tea farmer’s home in Hangzhou. He found it incredibly fragrant and delicious, and secretly pocketed some tea leaves when no one was looking. Later, at a local restaurant, he asked the waiter to brew tea for him using those leaves. Noticing the corner of the emperor’s dragon robe peeking out, the waiter panicked and informed the owner. The owner, who was cooking shrimp at the time, accidentally spilled the tea leaves into the wok, mistaking them for chopped scallions. To everyone’s surprise, the resulting tea-infused shrimp had an elegant color and unique flavor, and even won the emperor’s approval. Since then, the dish has become a famous Hangzhou specialty passed down to this day.

　　It is said that when Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty visited the south of the Yangtze River, it happened to be Qingming Festival. He toured the Longjing tea fields in West Lake, where the tea farmers offered him their newly harvested tea. He brought it back to his palace, where the imperial chef added the tea leaves while stir-frying “jade-white shrimp,” thus creating this famous dish. Soon after, “Louwailou Restaurant” featured “Longjing Shrimp” on its menu. The clever chef was likely inspired by other famous West Lake dishes and made a bold culinary innovation by incorporating tea leaves into the recipe. This dish not only uses unconventional ingredients but also requires precise control of cooking timing. During preparation, the chef heats the pan with oil, adds lard, and quickly puts in the coated shrimp. After about 15 seconds, the shrimp are removed and drained. They are then stir-fried with freshly brewed tea leaves, splashed with cooking wine, tossed over high heat, and served. The entire process is completed in a matter of moments to create this iconic dish.

　　Characteristics

　　Some say the creation of Longjing Shrimp may have been inspired by a poem from the Song Dynasty by the famous writer and former Hangzhou official Su Dongpo. In his poem “Looking at the South of the River,” written when he was transferred to Mizhou (now Zhucheng, Shandong), one line reads: “Don’t sigh over old times with old friends; use the new fire to brew new tea, and enjoy poetry and wine while you’re still young.” In ancient times, it was customary not to light fires during the Cold Food Festival, and the first fire afterward was called “new fire.” The tea picked at this time was the best “pre-Qingming” tea (the two days after the Cold Food Festival is Qingming Festival). Inspired by Su Dongpo’s poem and the season’s fresh river shrimp, people created Longjing Shrimp. Its delicious taste and distinct Hangzhou flavors led to its preservation and continued popularity.

　　Longjing tea is known for its four excellences: “bright green color, rich aroma, sweet taste, and beautiful shape.” River shrimp (also known as green shrimp) were praised by ancient people as “a treasure among delicacies,” not only for their tender and delicious meat and rich nutrition, but also for their benefits to kidney health, vitality, and detoxification. When pre-Qingming Longjing tea and fresh river shrimp are combined to make Longjing Shrimp, the dish resembles jade and white jade with a tempting fragrance. It is extremely tender and is a classic Hangzhou dish rich in local flavor.

　　Longjing Shrimp is famous for using the finest Longjing tea from Hangzhou. Grown in the mountains near West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, the best Longjing tea comes from Lion Peak in Longjing Village, known for its four excellences: “vibrant green color, rich aroma, mellow taste, and beautiful shape.” Legend says the tea originated in the Tang and Song Dynasties and was further refined during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, achieving a unique quality. Ancient texts say, “True Longjing tea tastes as fragrant as orchids, subtle rather than sharp, and leaves a faintly sweet aftertaste that seems tasteless at first but leaves a refreshing sensation on the palate—this tastelessness is the ultimate flavor.” During the Qing Dynasty, it was even listed as a tribute to the imperial court. At the time, Anhui region used tender tea tips like “sparrow tongue” and “eagle claw” to make luxurious dishes. Hangzhou, in turn, stir-fried shrimp with pre-Qingming Longjing tea and fresh river shrimp, naming it Longjing Shrimp. Its delicious and fragrant taste quickly made it one of Hangzhou’s most famous signature dishes, later spreading across China.

　　Preparation

　　Ingredients: 1000g live large river shrimp, 1.5g Longjing tea leaves, 1 egg, 1.5g Shaoxing wine, 3g salt, 2.5g MSG, 40g starch, 1000g cooked lard (about 75g used)

　　Preparation Steps:

　　1. Shell the shrimp, extract the shrimp meat, and rinse with water. Repeat this rinsing process three times until the shrimp are pure white, then drain (or pat dry with a clean towel). Place the shrimp in a bowl, add salt, MSG, and egg white. Stir with chopsticks until sticky, then mix in dry starch to coat.

　　2. Place tea leaves in a cup, pour in 50g boiling water (do not cover), steep for 1 minute, then strain out 40g of the tea liquid. Reserve the remaining tea leaves and liquid.

　　3. Heat a wok, coat with oil, then add the cooked lard. Heat until the oil is about 40–50% hot, add the shrimp, and quickly separate them with chopsticks. Remove after about 15 seconds and drain in a colander.

　　4. Leave a bit of oil in the wok, add the shrimp back in, then quickly add the tea leaves and tea liquid. Splash in the wine, add salt and MSG, stir-fry a few times, then serve.