Laphet Thoke

Method

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1. Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan over medium heat and fry the garlic slices for 2 minutes, until pale golden. Lift them out with a slotted spoon onto paper towels. They crisp as they cool.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

2. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 minutes, until golden. Tip them out.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

3. Mix the tea leaves with the lime juice, peanut oil, soy sauce and chillies, pressing with the back of a spoon to soften them.

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4. Put the cabbage and tomatoes in a large bowl, add the tea leaf mixture and toss well.

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5. Add the garlic chips, sesame seeds, peanuts and split peas and toss again just before serving, so that they stay crisp.

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6. Taste and add more lime or soy sauce as needed, and serve at once.

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Chef’s Tips

• Add the crunchy things at the last moment. Left to sit in the dressing they go soft.
• Taste the tea leaves from the jar first. Brands vary in saltiness, so adjust the soy sauce to match.
• Dried shrimp are a traditional addition. A spoonful of them makes a fuller salad if you eat fish, though it is then no longer vegan.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the green chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• Lemon is the everyday swap for lime in this kind of dish — the acidity plays the same role even though the flavour is not identical.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Steamed rice
• A pot of green tea
• Extra lime wedges

Storage & Reheating

Best eaten at once. Keep the tea leaf mixture in the fridge up to 3 days and add the crunchy parts fresh.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.