Revitalizing the humble prawn: A modern twist on a classic Chinese dish

It’s a pairing that could either be a culinary masterpiece or a total kitchen disaster.

Picture a chef, renowned for turning food into intricate, miniature works of art on a plate.

Now, combine that with an iconic Chinese imperial dish, born from the natural beauty and rich history of its region.

This is the story of Hong Kong’s acclaimed chef Vicky Lau, owner of the Tate Dining Room, as she embarks on a culinary adventure to Hangzhou, where she’ll master the art of preparing the traditional Longjing tea river prawns.

Leading her through the journey are Colin Cheng, head chef at Hangzhou's renowned 28 Hubin Road, and tea expert Wan Jiachun.

From the very beginning, the focus is on the landscapes that shape the dish.

"Wok-fried Longjing tea with river prawns brings together the essence of both the mountains and the waters of Hangzhou," says Cheng. "This is the dish that truly represents the region."

Crushed tomatoes

Before she can ignite the wok, Lau is first sent to explore the two key ingredients in detail.

The journey begins in Longjing tea village, near Hangzhou’s iconic West Lake, where tea leaves are harvested.

Everything is progressing smoothly until Lau proposes altering a centuries-old recipe as she explores the plantation with Wan.

Her suggestion to pair tea with tomatoes is quickly dismissed by the tea master.

"I must disagree," he states firmly.

Given Wan's expertise as a tea master, his resistance makes sense. Longjing tea, a treasured variety from Hangzhou, is revered as one of China's finest teas.

"Tomatoes would ruin the delicate flavor of the tea," says Wan. "And Longjing is truly an exceptional tea."

"The local environment is very unique here – we have white sandy soil, which is perfect for nurturing the roots of the tea plants."

Longjing is a sprawling expanse of tea bushes, where workers in pink raincoats, baskets tied around their waists, can be seen across the hills. With precision, they pluck young leaves as they swiftly move up and down the slopes.

The quality of the tea leaves can differ from the top to the bottom of the hill, so it’s crucial for the pickers to cover different areas to ensure a well-balanced blend.

After extensive picking, smelling, brewing, and eventually tasting the tea, Lau has gathered the knowledge needed to continue on to the next leg of her journey.

The stars of the show: Prawns

The next morning, Cheng and Lau meet at a local market for a prawn hunting expedition.

Like football fans meeting at a pub, they chat endlessly in a common language: food.

Their conversation flows from discussing dining habits in their respective cities to debating the ideal way to cook beetroots.

At last, they reach the prawn stall, where Cheng evaluates the crustaceans with the sharp eye of a seasoned expert, considering how the regional landscapes of China influence their unique flavors.

"These prawns come from Zhejiang and Jiangsu, while these are from Guangdong and Fujian," explains Cheng.

"River prawns from Zhejiang have a firmer texture, whereas those from Guangdong are softer due to the higher temperatures there, and their shells are thinner as well."

It's no surprise that the local prawns, from nearby Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces to the north, are regarded as the best choice for the Longjing tea recipe, mainly because of their firmer texture.

The accidental recipe

After gathering the key ingredients, Lau heads back to Cheng's kitchen, ready to begin cooking.

Like many iconic dishes worldwide, Longjing river prawns were born out of an accident.

The story goes that Emperor Qianlong visited a local restaurant in Hangzhou and ordered tea along with some river prawns.

Instead of serving the prawns alongside the tea, the bewildered chef mistakenly mixed the tea leaves directly into the prawns.

To everyone's surprise, Qianlong loved the dish – and soon, it became a favorite of many.

Cooking the dish itself is less challenging than sourcing the right ingredients.

Peel the prawns. Season them. Drain. Marinate.

The Longjing tea is added later, almost like an herb. It's quickly blanched in oil, which absorbs its aromatic essence before the prawns are introduced.

"I’ve always heard about the pairing of dragon well tea and prawns, but never understood why," says Lau. "Now I get it."

Now she understands.

"Visiting Hangzhou, the river, and the Longjing tea farm has been a true highlight. That’s why it makes sense to pair these two icons of Hangzhou together."

A French Twist

Back at the Tate in Hong Kong, far from West Lake, Lau is inspired to craft her own version, blending in her French culinary influences.

She squeezes a swirl of green paste onto a deep plate.

"I’m trying to recreate the landscape of Hangzhou’s tea farm," Lau explains.

She carefully decorates the newly plated green tea paste with delicate shiso flowers.

Instead of stir-frying the prawns in a wok, Lau transforms them into a consommé, which is then poured into a teapot.

This consommé will later be poured onto a "tea farm" when served, combining the two ingredients.

There’s only one element missing to complete the experience – and it’s not tomatoes.

It’s the mist that frequently rises from West Lake.

Lau carefully sets the teapot onto a special stand that emits a cloud of dry ice vapor.

It’s a perfect fusion of nature and culinary artistry.

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