The Secret Recipe of Myanmar Tea Leaf Salad

Tea leaf salad, locally named Lahpet Thoke

Myanmar fermented tea leaf salad is a national delicacy and plays a key role in Myanmar society. This dish is locally named Lahpet Thoke, lahpet meaning green tea and thoke meaning salad.

This salad is served as a national dish on all special occasions and ceremonies and also as regular meal to be eaten and enjoyed daily. A normal serving contains about 200 calories – 12 grams of fat, 50 milligrams of sodium, 4 grams of dietary fibre, and 10 grams of protein (depending on amount of dried shrimps, fish sauce, fried beetle larva, fried peanuts, and fried beans. Only the best tea leaves are selected for the fermenting. The fermented tea is laced with sesame oil in a central compartment surrounded by fried garlic, peas, peanuts, toasted sesame, crushed dried shrimp, preserved shredded ginger and fried shredded coconut. Yangon style tea salad additionally includes tomato, garlic, green chili, toasted sesame seeds cabbage and lime. The fermented tea is bittersweet, slightly pungent and has a leafy texture. Many Myanmar people believe in its medicinal and healing properties. This national delicacy is also popular with students for it helps to ward off tiredness and sleepiness.

*See also Top 10 Myanmar Food