Longjing Tea Shrimp — Dragon Well Shrimp
Quick Info
- Flavor
- Delicate, sweet shrimp with a subtle grassy, floral note from the tea — imagine the freshest shrimp you've ever tasted paired with a hint of green tea's vegetal fragrance.
- Texture
- Plump, bouncy shrimp with a jade-white translucency, dotted with soft tea leaves
- Spice Level
- Not spicy
- Temperature
- Served Hot
Ingredients
Allergens
Confirmed
Possible
These ingredients may vary by restaurant. Ask your server to confirm.
The Story
This dish is the perfect marriage of Hangzhou’s two greatest treasures: West Lake shrimp and Longjing (Dragon Well) tea, arguably China’s most prized green tea, grown on the misty hillsides just outside the city. The pairing was reportedly inspired by a Qing Dynasty emperor’s visit to Hangzhou, when a clever chef combined the region’s finest ingredients into one elegant plate.
Longjing tea is harvested in early spring, and the best versions of this dish appear during the same season, when both the tea leaves and the river shrimp are at their freshest and most delicate. It’s a dish that could only have been born in Hangzhou.
What to Expect
Don’t expect bold flavors here — this dish is all about subtlety and freshness. The shrimp arrive looking almost translucent, a pale jade-white color that tells you they were barely cooked at lightning speed. Scattered among them are bright green Longjing tea leaves, still soft and fragrant from being briefly steeped before joining the shrimp in the wok.
The shrimp have a wonderful snap when you bite into them — firm and bouncy, with a natural sweetness that tastes like the cleanest ocean breeze. The tea leaves add a gentle grassy fragrance that lifts the whole dish without overwhelming the shrimp. There’s almost no sauce to speak of, just a whisper of Shaoxing wine and the shrimp’s own juices. This is minimalist cooking at its finest.
Tips
This dish is all about ingredient quality, so order it at reputable restaurants rather than street stalls. The best versions use pre-Qingming (明前) Longjing tea, harvested before the Qingming Festival in early April — if you visit in spring, you’re in for the peak experience. Eat the tea leaves along with the shrimp; they’re tender and meant to be consumed. Pair with steamed rice to let the delicate flavors shine.