← Back to Recipes

Laphet Thoke: Burmese Fermented Tea Leaf Salad

★★★★★ (4.9 from 15 Reviews)
Jump to Recipe ↓

In most of the world, tea is for drinking. In Myanmar (Burma), it is for eating. Laphet refers to fermented tea leaves, which are sour, slightly bitter, and savory. Thoke means salad.

This dish is a texture explosion: soft, pickled tea leaves mixed with crunchy fried beans, roasted peanuts, toasted sesame, garlic, and chili. It is traditionally served to guests as a symbol of hospitality and is packed with caffeine—it's often called a student's best friend for late-night studying!

A plate of Burmese Tea Leaf Salad (Laphet Thoke)
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time0 mins
Servings2 People
CaffeineHigh

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Fermented Tea Leaves (Laphet)*
  • 2 cups Shredded Cabbage
  • 1/2 cup Fried Crunchy Mix (Yellow split peas, peanuts, garlic chips)
  • 1 tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds
  • 1 Tomato, diced
  • 1 tbsp Fish Sauce
  • 1 Lime, juiced
  • Fresh Chili (optional)
Nutrition per serving:
Calories: 250
Fat: 18g
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 8g

Instructions

1
Prep the Laphet: If your fermented tea leaves came in a heavy brine or oil, drain slightly. If they are very bitter, you can rinse them quickly in cold water. Place them in a large bowl.
2
Combine: Add the shredded cabbage, diced tomato, and the crunchy fried bean mix to the bowl with the tea leaves.
3
Dress & Toss: Drizzle with fish sauce and fresh lime juice. Using your hands (wear gloves if adding chili), massage the dressing into the cabbage and tea leaves to tenderize them.
4
Serve: Top with toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately while the nuts and beans are still crunchy.

Expert Tip: Finding Ingredients

You cannot use dried tea leaves for this recipe! You must buy "Laphet" (fermented/pickled tea). Look for "Burmese Tea Leaf Dressing" in Asian specialty grocers or online. It is often sold in jars with oil and garlic.