Longjing prawns is not about soaking prawns in concentrated tea. The natural sweetness of the prawns should lead, with the green tea providing only a delicate, uplifting aroma; excess oil, heavy garlic, or overcooking the leaves will easily mask this nuance.
A two-person trial uses approximately 200 g of peeled raw prawns, 3 g of Longjing tea, about 80 ml of hot water, and small quantities of salt, cornflour, and neutral cooking oil. Steep the tea in water at around 80°C for 2 minutes, then strain the liquor from the leaves; set aside roughly 30 ml of the infused liquor for the finish, tasting the remainder separately to evaluate whether the brew itself is crisp and clean. Pat the prawns thoroughly dry, then toss gently with a pinch of salt and a very light dusting of cornflour.
Heat control matters more than tea quantity
Heat a small amount of oil in a hot pan, stir-fry the prawns until they turn opaque and are thoroughly cooked through, then pour in the reserved tea liquor to reduce briefly; just before taking the pan off the heat, add a small pinch of the steeped tea leaves, toss evenly, and plate immediately. There is no need to add all the leaves, as an excess will introduce astringency and detract from the texture of the prawns. If the tea note is too faint on your first attempt, dial back the other seasonings in your next batch before considering increasing the tea quantity.
Prawns are a common allergen; when serving guests or designing commercial menus, declare allergens in accordance with local regulatory requirements and prevent cross-contamination. A trade name containing 'Longjing' is not a substitute for documented provenance and grade verification; selecting a tea batch requires checking the specific batch label and supply documentation.