Laphet is a Burmese fermented tea and one of the most popularly consumed food items in the country.  The tea is unique in Southeast Asia as it only grows in a certain part of the country.  Not only is it one of the country’s national delicacies but it also plays an important role in Myanmar’s culture.  Myanmar may be just one of the few countries in the world where tea is drunk as well as eaten.

The tea sprouts are indigenous to the hills of the Shan State in Eastern Myanmar and grow in shady and damp areas.  They are plucked between April and October.  The best are the ones that have been picked during April and May, just before the monsoon hits the country.  After being plucked, the sprouts are steamed, rolled and stuffed into bamboo jars or baskets.  Stones are then pressed onto the leaves, which tenderizes it and are set aside.  This can be as short as two days or as long as six months.  After that, the tender tea leaves are separated from the rough ones.  The harder leaves are cut and mixed in with the soft leaves before being shipped out for sale at a market, store or teashop.

To say that the Burmese are fond of laphet is quite an understatement.  People of all backgrounds, ethnicities and to an extent, ages drink this tea.  The boiling of laphet tea is one of the first things in a housewife’s agenda every morning.  The aroma is certainly refreshing and the taste is also unique, with the leaves giving off both a light sweet and bitter taste.  The tea is also consumed for its stimulant effects as well as for its medicinal purposes.  It is known for being beneficial to the digestive system and for controlling bile and mucus in the body.

Laphet can also be served as a snack or as a meal.  The leaves are served in a lacquerware dish that is divided into small compartments.  The pickled tea laced with sesame oil is in the center of the dish and is surrounded by other ingredients such as fried garlic, peas, peanuts, sesame, dried shrimp, ginger and coconut.

Laphet tea plays a prominent role in the country’s culture, it being served at the most important events and ceremonies such as weddings and religious festivals.  It is also customary for hosts (especially in the Shan State) to serve their guests a cup of laphet tea or some dried or pickled tea leaves as gifts to their guests.

Myanmar is a beautiful country and home to some of the world’s friendliest and hospitable people.   The country is also home to magnificent temples and exotic landscapes.  Have a great time in Burma with Exotissimo’s Family Holiday in Myanmar tour.  A whole host of fun and memorable activities await you and your loved ones on this trip.  You can try on various hilltribe outfits, take a boat trip on the Yangon River and have an optional balloon experience over Bagan.  You can also see our Myanmar tours page for other excursions into this relatively untouched country or contact us if you have any questions.  You and your loved ones can be one of the few people in the world to embrace this mysterious and charming country.