Hou Kui Green Tea Shrimp Stir-Fry
Delicate shrimp stir-fried with brewed Tai Ping Hou Kui leaves, ginger, and peas—a famous-tea-inspired dish where the orchid fragrance lifts the seafood without a hint of bitterness.
Stir-frying shrimp with brewed green tea leaves is a classic way to honor a famous tea. Tai Ping Hou Kui's smooth, mellow character and orchid aroma make it ideal: it perfumes the shrimp gently and adds a tender, fragrant garnish without any harsh edge.
Brew the Hou Kui leaves lightly first, then add both the fragrant liquid and the softened leaves to the wok. The leaves crisp slightly at the edges and become a delicate, edible accent scattered through the dish.
Speed and gentle heat are everything in a stir-fry like this. The shrimp cook in just a couple of minutes, and a quick toss with ginger and peas keeps everything fresh, bright, and full of color.
Serve over warm rice with a cup of freshly steeped Hou Kui alongside. The tea on the plate and the tea in the cup reinforce each other, making a clean, elegant meal that suits a calm, focused evening.
Ingredients
- 400 g peeled shrimp, deveined
- 2 tbsp Tai Ping Hou Kui green tea leaves
- 1 cup hot water (80°C) for brewing
- 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, minced
- 1 cup green peas
- 2 scallions, sliced
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (optional)
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- Pinch of white pepper
How to make it
- 1Brew the Hou Kui leaves in 80°C water for 2 minutes. Reserve 3 tbsp of the liquid and set the softened leaves aside.
- 2Pat the shrimp dry and toss them with the salt, white pepper, and Shaoxing wine.
- 3Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Add the ginger and stir-fry for 20 seconds until fragrant.
- 4Add the shrimp and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes until they just turn pink. Add the peas and toss for another minute.
- 5Add the reserved tea leaves, the 3 tbsp tea liquid, and the soy sauce. Toss quickly to coat and heat through.
- 6Scatter over the scallions, give one final toss, and serve immediately over warm rice.
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