Longjing shrimp

At first the plate seems almost empty of colour: a heap of white shrimp, a few green leaves, a little shine. Then the tea rises with the steam. Longjing, usually held in a glass beside the lake, has found its way into the wok.

The dish brings together two familiar parts of Hangzhou’s landscape: freshwater shrimp and the tea grown in the western hills. A popular legend gives the pairing an accidental beginning during an emperor’s travels. In the kitchen, its elegance depends on deliberate restraint.

The shrimp should keep their sweet, lively bite. The tea lends a scent, then makes room again. After the deep glaze of a braised dish, this is a different pace of eating: a brief, clear mouthful, with the hills somewhere in the background.