Longjing Shrimp

Ingredients

• 400g raw peeled river prawns or small prawns
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1 egg white
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 1 tbsp Longjing green tea leaves
• 120ml water at 80C
• 3 tbsp lard or neutral oil
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1/4 tsp caster sugar
• pinch of ground white pepper

Before you cook

• Rinse the prawns in cold water, then squeeze them gently in a clean cloth until they are thoroughly dry.
• Toss the prawns with the salt and stir them in one direction for a minute, until they feel springy.
• Whisk the egg white lightly and fold it through the prawns with the cornflour.
• Chill the coated prawns for twenty minutes.

Steps

1. Put the tea leaves in a small heatproof cup and pour over the water at 80C.
2. Leave the tea to steep for three minutes, until the leaves have unfurled and the liquid is pale green.
3. Strain the infusion into a bowl and keep the softened leaves separately.
4. Heat the lard in a wok over medium-low heat until it shimmers but is nowhere near smoking.
5. Slide in the prawns and stir them gently for about twenty seconds, until they turn from grey to a milky jade white.
6. Tip the prawns into a sieve set over a bowl to drain, leaving a tablespoon of fat in the wok.
7. Raise the heat to high and pour the Shaoxing wine round the side of the wok so it flashes into steam.
8. Return the prawns to the wok with three tablespoons of the tea infusion, the sugar and the white pepper.
9. Toss everything for thirty seconds, just long enough for the liquid to cling to the prawns.
10. Scatter over the drained tea leaves, give one last turn and serve straight away on a warm plate.