23 May 2022

Dragon Well, also known as Long Jing, is one of China’s most famous green teas, but did you know that it also makes a versatile ingredient? While we like to savour new harvest Dragon Well to appreciate its joyful, succulent spring flavour, we also acknowledge its wider context in culinary usage, and pursue innovation that sees this tea reimagined in new, flavoursome ways. 

This particular dish is popular in the Hangzhou region, which is the authentic home of Dragon Well, and so we have recreated a simple version of ‘Long Jing Prawns’ for you to try at home. If you’d like to consider more ways to use tea as an ingredient, be sure to visit our Journal entry ‘The Versatility of Tea’.

Serves: 2

Duration: 20 mins  

Dragon Well Green Tea Prawns Recipe

Ingredients:

  • Approx. 8 large sustainably sourced prawns – shell on
  • 50g cornflour 
  • 1 egg white*
  • Oil – olive, vegetable, rapeseed or groundnut are best 
  • 1 tbsp AVANTCHA Dragon Well green tea leaves 
  • 2 spring onions – roughly sliced 
  • 15ml (1tbsp) Shaoxing wine or dry sherry 
  • 1tsp cornflour mixed with a little water to a paste

Method: 

  1. Remove the shells, heads and veins from the prawns (you can add shells and heads to freezer and collect these to make fish stock another day).
  2. Whisk 50g cornflour and egg white in a separate bowl until a light batter forms. Season lightly and add prawns to coat thoroughly, leaving them aside while you prepare the next steps.
  3. Add oil to the frying pan – of a depth of up to half way – and heat over a fairly high temperature (you can test this by adding a little batter and seeing if it sizzles nicely). Drop the prawns in carefully using a slotted spoon and fry for around 15 seconds before removing and setting upon paper towel to absorb any excess oil*. 

Brew an AVANTCHA Solo Tea Pot with 1tbsp Dragon Well tea leaves and 150ml water  (approx one third full tea pot) at 80 degrees. Leave to infuse for three minutes.

With a clean pan, add around 1 tbsp fresh oil and bring to a medium high heat until oil is lightly smoking. Add the prawns and about a third of the tea, Shaoxing/Sherry, and a small amount of steeped tea leaves. Add the cornflour paste to thicken, and use a little more tea if it gets too thick. Bring to a simmer and then remove from the heat, scattering with chopped spring onions and seasoning if necessary. Serve as a light lunch dish with rice, or as a side dish alongside others. 

Notes: 

  • Never pour excess oil down the drains. This can be mopped up with paper towel or newspaper and added to the bin
  • Save the yolk from your egg to to make these Tea Shortbread even richer
  • No need to throw away any remaining tea infusion – use it to water your plants 

Follow us on Instagram for more recipes, like these Dragon Well Green Tea Prawns – we hope you enjoy.

Dragon Well Green Tea Prawns