The distinct earthy flavors of this basic Burmese tea leaf salad come from the fermented tea leaves, that are ready in-house on the Dutchess in Ojai, California. You will discover them pre-made at specialty markets comparable to Kalustyan’s. A medley of shaved cabbage, seasonal lettuces, and number of crunchy toppings give the salad its satisfying layers of texture. Chef Noticed makes use of regionally sourced Salanova lettuce; if you happen to can’t discover it, hydroponically grown butterhead lettuce is an acceptable substitute. Naing fries off the crispy shallots and garlic in-house, but when pressed for time, packaged variations of each might be discovered at your native Asian grocery.
Featured in “At This New SoCal Restaurant, Burmese Dishes Take Local Produce to Another Level.”
Burmese Tea Leaf Salad
Delicate, crunchy, vivid, and sizzling: The basic Southeast Asian mainstay is a medley of compelling textures and flavors.
Yield: serves 6
Time:
50 minutes
Elements
- 6 small shallots (6 oz.), thinly sliced
- 12 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Kosher salt
- 4 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage
- 1 cup chopped Salanova lettuce (or substitute butterhead lettuce)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cups roasted peanuts
- ¼ cups contemporary lemon juice
- 2 tbsp. fermented tea leaves
- 2 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tsp. hen’s eye chile or serrano chile, finely chopped
- ¼ cups chickpea flour
- Cilantro sprigs, for garnish
Directions
- Line a plate with paper towels and set it by the range. Set a high quality mesh strainer over a heatproof bowl and in addition set that by the range as nicely. To a medium pot set over medium-low warmth, add the shallots and sufficient oil to cowl, about 2 cups. Cook dinner, stirring steadily, till the shallots are golden brown, 20–25 minutes. Pressure the shallots, then switch them to the plate. Return the oil to the pot and return to medium-low warmth. Add the garlic and cook dinner, stirring steadily, till the garlic is golden brown, 5–6 minutes. Pressure the garlic, then switch it to the plate together with the shallots; season each calmly with salt, and put aside to chill to room temperature. Reserve the cooking oil.
- Assemble the salad: To a big bowl add the cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, peanuts, lemon juice, tea leaves, sesame seeds, chile, and a pair of tablespoons of the reserved frying oil. Toss till the greens are coated and the substances are evenly distributed. Toss within the chickpea powder and the reserved crispy shallots and garlic, then divide the salad amongst 6 giant salad bowls. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and serve at room temperature.
