Laphet

Laphet is the Burmese herb derived from the fermented leaves and buds of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis) in the Theaceae family. Myanmar’s singular contribution to the world of tea, it’s eaten instead of drunk. Young leaves and buds are steamed, pressed, and packed away to ferment for months rather than dried for the pot. Laphet has an earthy, tangy, faintly bitter umami with a gentle caffeine lift. Most famously, it is tossed into laphet thoke, the national tea leaf salad of fermented leaves, fried beans, peanuts, sesame, garlic, and chile. But its cultural importance goes beyond cooking, as a tray of laphet has long been a gesture of hospitality and token of peace.