Laphet Thoke, or Pickled Tea Leaf Salad, is served in Myanmar (Burma) for any and all occasions: parties, weddings, funerals and all religious ceremonies. We eat this dish as a snack, as part of a bigger meal with rice or as dessert. A caffeinated dish, it is also commonly prepared for students during their exams to keep them awake at night.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup fermented tea leaf*
- ¼ cup fried peanuts, broad beans and sesame*
- ½ cup very thinly sliced red cabbage
- ½ cup very thinly sliced green cabbage
- 2 large plum tomatoes, julienned
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 3 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 Bird’s Eye chili, minced
- 1 tablespoon dry shrimp powder (omit for vegetarian/vegan)
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce (omit for vegetarian/vegan)
- Green chilies, thinly sliced
- Dry red chili flakes
- Fish sauce
- Shrimp powder
- Lime wedges
About this recipe
Recipe by April Chou, as featured at the Tapestry Supper Burmese Luncheon for Catholic Charities of Fort Wayne-South Bend. Recipe supplied to Edible Silicon Valley as part of the Fall+Holiday 2017 Tapestry Suppers article.
Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a big bowl and mix well.
For vegetarian/vegan versions, omit shrimp powder and fish sauce. Add more sea salt, as needed.
Serve immediately to retain crispy texture of fried beans and crunchiness of shredded cabbages.
In Myanmar (Burma), making salads according to your own taste is paramount. The garnishes of green chilies, dry chili flakes, fish sauce, shrimp powder and lime wedges are tools to adjust heat, umami, salty and sour tastes to your liking.
*Pickled Tea Leaf is available at local specialty stores like Yoma, Myanmar Pyi Thar Grocery in Newark and Good Eggs.
