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This elegant dish has its origins in the imperial
court of Beijing, where Long Jing tea, or "Dragon
Well," from the Hangzhou region, was the most
popular in China...The coolness of this tea on one's
tongue is quite evident in this recipe.
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon Dragon Well green tea leaves
1/4 cup water
For the sauce:
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons brewed tea
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/4 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon Shao-Hsing wine or dry sherry
Pinch freshly ground white pepper
1 3/4 teaspoons tapioca flour
2 tablespoons Chicken Stock
2 1/2 cups peanut oil
One 1/4-inch-thick slice fresh ginger, peeled
3/4 pound medium shrimp (about 24), shelled and
deveined
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup chopped white parts of scallion in
1/4-inch diagonal pieces
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper in 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
1 orange, cut thinly into rounds, then half
moons, for garnish
Directions
To brew the tea, place the tea
leaves in a bowl. Boil the water
and pour over the leaves. Cover
the bowl and steep for 10 minutes.
Strain the tea. Reserve the tea
leaves and 2 tablespoons of brewed
tea for the sauce.
In a bowl, mix the sauce
ingredients and reserve.
To blanch the shrimp, heat a wok
over high heat for 1 minute. Add
the peanut oil and slice of ginger
and heat to 350 degrees F. Place
the shrimp in the oil, stir, and
loosen. When the shrimp begin to
turn pink, about 5 seconds, turn
off the heat. Remove the shrimp
with a Chinese strainer and drain.
Transfer the oil to a bowl and
discard the ginger slice.
Return 1 tablespoon of the
reserved peanut oil to the wok.
Heat over high heat for 20
seconds. When a wisp of white
smoke appears, add the minced
ginger and stir briefly. Add the
scallion and cook, stirring, until
its fragrance is released, about
15 seconds. Add the shrimp and
reserved tea leaves and cook,
stirring, for 20 seconds. Add the
peppers and cook, until all the
ingredients are coated, about 20
seconds. Make a well in the centre
of the mixture, stir the sauce
mixture, pour in, and stir well.
When the sauce bubbles and
thickens, turn off the heat,
remove to a heated platter,
garnish around the edges with
orange half moons, and serve.
More delicious Chinese recipes are available in Nicholas Zhou's cookbook
"Real & Healthy
Chinese Cooking".
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