History of Lahpet ● Myanmar Pickled Fermented Tea Leaf ● Unique Myanmese Tea Culture

Recently, I tried Myanmese pickled fermented tea leaf. The olive greenish colour fermented tea leaves were soaked in oil and blended with bits of raw garlic and chili pepper. The fermented tea leaves were soft, very gently chewy and moist, wrapped in oil. It tasted somewhat unfamiliar at first. It has a certain subtle smell (like pickled bamboo shoot), slightly tannic in the mouth and tasted bitter with a bit of spicy heat from garlic and chili. (There are non spicy versions too.)

Now I am hooked. 

The Myanmese eat it as a salad, mixed with nuts and shredded vegetables. I now have bottles of lahpet at home and eat it with rice like kimchi 🤭 Can't eat rice without Myanmese pickled fermented tea now 😄 

So, what is this Myanmese pickled fermented tea leaf?

It is actually made with the same tea leaf that we drink - that familiar Chinese black tea or Japanese green tea. Let's get to the roots of Myanmese pickled fermented tea leaf.

Botanists have concluded that all varietals of tea plant came from Camellia Sinensis which is native to Yunnan and Sichuan provinces of China, and northern part of Myanmar. So yeah, Myanmar (and Yunnan, Sichuan) is the birthplace of tea.

From here, tea plant cultivation spread to over 50 countries (mainly in the 19th century to counter Qing dynasty China's near monopoly on tea growing). The corrupt Qing dynasty was a global trading powerhouse, thanks to tea monopoly but that's another story for another post.

Tea drinking culture existed in China for at least 3,000 years. From Chinese records, the people of Pu Er city in Yunnan were sending Pu Er tea 普洱茶 to the emperors of Shang dynasty (1500 BC - 1046 BC) as tributes. From then, tea drinking culture spread to the rest of China.

Yeah, so next time when you drink the humble Pu Er tea with your bak kut teh, remember it was tribute for emperors 3,000 years ago 😊

The oldest tea leaves found were over 2,000 years old, buried in the tomb of emperor Jing (157 - 141 BC) of the Han dynasty in Xi'an city. The tea leaves were to ensure that emperor Jing is able to enjoy tea in his afterlife. 

Over in Myanmar, tea is grown mostly in the highlands of Shan state bordering China's Yunnan province.

In Myanmar, the development of tea culture took a different path from China - besides enjoying tea as a beverage, the Myanmese were also eating fermented tea leaves known as lahpet (which is unique to Myanmar).

There's a saying in Myanmar, "Of all the fruit, mango is the best; of all the meats, pork is the best; of all the leaves, laphet is the best”.

Lahpet is made by steaming fresh tea leaves for 5 - 10 minutes. Excess water is pressed out. The steamed leaves are packed into pots and pressed downed with heavy weights e.g. stones. The tea leaves are left to ferment for 2 - 4 months. Lahpet is finished by pickling it with a blend of salt, lime juice, garlic, chili pepper, oil, etc to get the desired flavour.

In Myanmar, lahpet mixed with nuts and vegetables is eaten as a snack, side dish and treat for guests. Gifting and sharing lahpet has traditionally been a goodwill and peace making gesture / symbol between people and even kingdoms in Myanmar.

Fermented tea leaf salad or lahpet thoke is a national dish of Myanmar (along with mohinga noodle). It is pickled fermented tea leaves tossed with shredded cabbage, diced tomato, roasted peanut, broad bean, split pea, dried shrimp, fish sauce, lime juice, and oil.

In Myanmar, you can find lahpet thoke from street side stalls, to restaurants to homes.

In Singapore, you can find lahpet thoke in most restaurants in Little Myanmar (Peninsula Plaza at City Hall MRT station). I also like the lahpet thoke at this little Myanmese stall at block 325 Clementi.

We can also get different brands of canned or bottled lahpet as well as ready to eat pre-packed lahpet thoke from the many grocers at Peninsula Plaza.

Written by Tony Boey on 12 Jul 2023

The Legend of Lahpet