Quick Answer: What Is Longjing Shrimp?
Longjing shrimp (龙井虾仁, lóngjǐng xiārén) is a Hangzhou specialty pairing peeled shrimp with Longjing tea (龙井茶, lóngjǐngchá), also called Dragon Well tea. Its familiar style is delicate rather than heavily browned: tender shrimp, green leaves and a light tea-scented finish.[1][2]
- Ingredients: Traditionally river shrimp and Longjing green tea, with supporting seasonings.
- Texture: Smooth, tender shrimp rather than crisp battered prawns.
- Flavor: Shrimp sweetness and a restrained tea aroma, without a heavy chili sauce.
Other shrimp and cooking fats appear in documented adaptations; the name does not guarantee one identical restaurant formula.[3][4]
Green leaves scattered among pale shrimp can look like a garnish added after cooking. Here the tea also seasons the dish. Understanding the shrimp, the light coating and the tea finish explains why its texture is so different from a crisp fried prawn dish.
River Shrimp, Green Tea and Supporting Ingredients
Small, peeled river shrimp provide tender morsels in the traditional pairing. The white-and-green appearance comes from shrimp and leaves, with restrained tea flavor complementing the seafood.[1][2]
Longjing is a green tea. Documented methods use both an infusion to carry flavor and softened leaves that provide the green accents.[3][5]
Egg white, starch and salt support texture and seasoning. Cooking wine may add aroma. Lard appears in traditional accounts, while other versions use vegetable oil.[1][3]
How the Smooth Texture and Clear Finish Are Made
A thin egg-white-and-starch coating gives the shrimp a smooth, velvety surface. The aim is tenderness rather than the crunchy browning produced by batter-frying.[3][5]
In a traditional sequence, coated shrimp pass through oil, are drained, then return to the wok with the tea. Other versions finish them directly with tea liquid. A small amount of clear, clinging juices brings the flavors together.[2][3]
Hangzhou Tradition and Adaptations Beyond the City
The pairing of local tea and river shrimp places the dish firmly in Hangzhou and Zhejiang cuisine. Stories connecting it with Qianlong are legends, not proof of an imperial invention.[1][2]
A documented overseas adaptation uses wild North Carolina shrimp instead of small river shrimp. Some versions permit other loose green teas; those are substitutions, since Longjing names a particular tea rather than green tea in general.[4][5]
How to Recognize and Order Longjing Shrimp
Use the full Chinese dish name and ask which shrimp and tea are used. Different shrimp can affect the appearance, so color alone does not establish the preparation.[1][4]
Confirm egg, the cooking fat and Shaoxing cooking wine when relevant. A separate vinegar dip appears in some accounts, but it is an accompaniment rather than the defining tea seasoning.[3][4][5]
FAQs About Longjing Shrimp
Is Longjing shrimp spicy?
The familiar preparation emphasizes delicate tea and shrimp flavor, not chili heat.
Are the tea leaves part of the dish?
Yes. Documented methods use softened leaves as well as the tea infusion.
Must every version use river shrimp?
No. River shrimp are traditional, but other shrimp are used in adaptations.
Does the dish contain egg or pork fat?
Egg white is common; lard is used in some versions. Confirm both.
Sumber
[1] China Culture, Ministry of Culture portal. Longjing Prawns
[2] Hangzhou Release, published by Hangzhou Net. Longjing Shrimp in Hangzhou Cooking
[3] Adam Liaw, SBS Food. Longjing Prawns: Tea Seasoning and Velveting
[4] Laura McCandlish, NPR, published by VPM. Longjing Xiaren: A Home-Kitchen Adaptation
[5] Fuchsia Dunlop, adapted by Leslie Brenner, Cooks Without Borders. Stir-Fried Shrimp with Dragon Well Tea