Small peeled river shrimp, quick-fried pale and tender, then tossed with the fresh leaves of Longjing green tea.
What makes it longjing shrimp
Small freshwater shrimp, coated in egg white and starch.
Cooked briefly in warm oil so they stay white and soft.
Longjing tea leaves, steeped first, tossed in at the end with a little of their liquor.
Where it comes from
Longjing, 'Dragon Well', is the green tea grown in the hills just west of West Lake. The dish is often said to have been inspired by the Qianlong emperor's visits to Hangzhou, but the recipe as it's cooked now is usually credited to the city's restaurants in the twentieth century.
It's a spring dish at its best, when the first tea is picked and the river shrimp are sweet.