What Is Lahpet?
Lahpet is fermented tea leaf, a distinctive ingredient in Myanmar cuisine best known internationally through tea leaf salad.
What it tastes like
Prepared lahpet can be savory, tangy, slightly bitter and deeply aromatic. Its intensity is balanced by crisp vegetables, nuts, seeds, fried garlic and crunchy legumes in lahpet thoke.
How it is used
Rather than treating tea only as a drink, Myanmar food traditions include eating fermented tea leaves. The ingredient is often served with contrasting textures so a small amount flavors a much larger bite.
Sourcing fermented tea leaves
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Look for packages specifically sold for Burmese tea leaf salad rather than ordinary brewed tea. Search for fermented tea leaves on Amazon if a Myanmar or Southeast Asian grocer is not available.