Welcome back to Burmawala Kitchen! Burmese Tea Leaf Salad, also known as Lahpet Thoke. This salad combines an eclectic mix of flavours and textures, including soft, pickled tea leaves, crisp roasted peanuts, and a variety of crunchy beans. It's not only a delightful culinary experience but also a vegan-friendly recipe.

Lahpet Thoke is a traditional Burmese dish that brings together a diverse range of ingredients to create a flavourful and textured salad. "Lahpet" means "green tea," and "thoke" means "salad." The key ingredient is pickled tea leaves, which provide a unique, slightly tangy flavours. The salad is complemented by roasted peanuts, fried garlic, toasted sesame seeds, and an assortment of beans. This dish is often enjoyed as a snack or a light meal and is perfect for those who appreciate a mix of sweet, salty, and savoury flavours.

Ingredients:

For the Tea Leaf Salad:

• 2 mugs of green tea leaves
• 5 cups of oil (for frying garlic)
• 1 mug of garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of paprika powder
• 1 teaspoon of MSG
• 3 tablespoons of chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon of chopped ginger
• 3 finely chopped chilis
• 1 cup of sunflower oil
• 1 large lemon (juiced)
• 1 mug of broad beans (soaked in hot water)
• 1 mug of sesame seeds
• 1 mug of chana dal (soaked overnight with bicarbonate soda)
• 2 mugs of peanuts
• 1 mug of green chana (soaked overnight with bicarbonate soda)
• 1 mug of lima beans (soaked overnight with bicarbonate soda)

Instructions:

1. Preparing Garlic Infused Oil:

• In a pan, fry thinly sliced garlic in 5 cups of oil until golden brown. Ensure a well-ventilated space during this process.
• Remove the garlic and set it aside on paper towels to drain.

2. Boiling Beans and Dals:

• Boil each soaked bean and dal separately for precisely 6 minutes, removing any surface scum.

3. Preparing Tea Leaf Mixture:

• Soak green tea leaves in boiling water for 10 minutes.
• Squeeze excess liquid, transfer leaves to a bowl, and add salt, paprika powder, MSG, chopped garlic, chopped ginger, chopped chilis, lemon juice, and sunflower oil.
• Mix thoroughly and store in jars, topping them off with extra oil.
• Allow it to rest in a dark cupboard for 3 days before refrigerating. It lasts up to 6 months.

4. Frying Beans and Dals:

• Fry each bean and dal separately until they ascend to the surface.
  • Lima Beans: Approximately 10 minutes.
  • Chana Dal: Around 10 minutes.
  • Green Chana: Rises to the top when ready.
  • Peanuts: Swift transformation in about 3 minutes.
  • Broad Beans: Concluding the frying process in approximately 7 minutes.

5. Mixing the Fried Delights:

• Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of salt over the fried mixture, thoroughly mix, and bottle it for a shelf life of over 6 months.

6. Assembling Burmese Tea Leaf Salad:

• In a bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of tea leaves with chopped tomatoes and onions.
• Add 3 cups of the fried bean mixture, garnish with freshly chopped coriander, and a spritz of lemon.

7. Final Touch:

• Behold your culinary masterpiece, a tantalizing Burmese Tea Leaf Salad that doubles as a remarkable coffee alternative.