Lahpet – Burmese Tea Leaf Pickle
Damn, That’s a Pickle! ???
Lahpet, also known as “Burmese Tea Leaf pickle,” is a unique and delightful dish from Myanmar that combines fermented tea leaves with a medley of ingredients and flavors.
I grew up in Chennai, India, in a neighborhood with Burmese migrants who brought their rich cuisine. Chennai, specifically North Madras, is a diverse place with people of different ethnicities and languages co-existing. From 1962-1970, there was a migration of Tamils from Burma (Myanmar) to Chennai. Since childhood, I have been fortunate to enjoy lahpet, known as tea oorgai, and other Burmese dishes. However, lahpet is becoming increasingly rare in Chennai due to the unavailability of whole tea leaves.
In Myanmar, lahpet is more than just a dish; it’s a cultural tradition shared during social gatherings and celebrations.
Pickled tea leaf – lahpet is one of my favorite pickles, with raw mango pickle topping the list.
Fermenting the tea leaves is crucial for the flavor and delicious it gets.
Taste profile:
Little bitter taste with a subtle lemony earthy lingering finish.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Whole leaf green tea
1 cup water
1 Inch Ginger
1 clove of Garlic
1 whole lemon juice
1\2 Teaspoon Paprika\chilli powder
Pinch of salt
Burmese Tea Leaf Pickle - Lahpet
Materials
- 1/2 Cup Whole leaf green tea
- 1 Cup Water
- 1 Inch Ginger
- 1 Clove Garlic
- 1 Whole lemon juice
- 1/2 Tsp Paprikachilli powder
Instructions
- - Pour some hot water and steep the green tea.
- - Once done drain the tea and just keep the cooked whole tea leaf.
- - Add your chopped garlic ginger and lemon juice.
- - Add paprika then salt.
- - Give it a good massage and pack tight in a glass container.
- - Keep it away from sunlight and ferment it for 3 - 90 more days.
- - Once done Chop some garlic and chillis and blend them.
Video
Notes
This may not be the authentic way they make this in Myanmar, This is how my neighbours used to make the ferment which they sell in shops.
