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Vegetables · Pickled & preserved

Fermented tea leaves

Burmese pickled tea leaves (lahpet), served in a tangy salad with crunchy beans, nuts and garlic.

Also called: lahpet, laphet, pickled tea leaves, letpet

Around the world: လက်ဖက် (my)

1 recipe with it

What it is

Lahpet are young tea leaves that are steamed, then packed and fermented until soft, olive-green and sour. They are a Myanmar speciality, eaten as a salad (lahpet thoke) or served as a snack with fried beans, peanuts, sesame and garlic. They are different from the dried black and green tea leaves used for brewing.

Camellia sinensis (fermented leaf)

How it’s used

  • Lahpet thoke tea-leaf salad
  • Served as a traditional snack plate with crunchy toppings
  • Mixed with rice

Characteristics

Taste
Sour, bitter, earthy and slightly astringent.
Texture
Soft, moist and leafy.
When cooked
Usually dressed with oil, garlic and lime and eaten raw.
Sold as
fermented
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw
Common in
Burmese

Storage

Refrigerated. Refrigerate in a sealed container once opened.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Contains caffeine.
  • Usually served with peanuts and other nuts; check for allergies.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
93 kcal
Protein
5.6 g
Carbohydrate
17.31 g
Fat
2.12 g
Fibre
11 g
Sugars
6.3 g

USDA FoodData Central: Grape leaves, raw (a close stand-in).

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Recipes with fermented tea leaves

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