If you’re a fan of Burma Superstar’s signature Burmese tea leaf salad, you’ll be glad to know it’s never been easier to make a version at home now.
No more hunting around fruitlessly for fermented tea leaves or any of the other specialty ingredients needed. Burma Superstar’s new Burma Love Foods Company has put together a Fermented Tea Leaf Salad Kit. It’s vegan to boot.
The kit, which should be kept refrigerated until used, comes complete with the already made fermented tea leaf dressing made with organic tea leaves, as well as Burmese Crunchy Mix, which is a blend of crispy yellow split peas, toasted sunflower seeds, fried garlic chips, sesame seeds and roasted peanuts.
All you need to add is romaine lettuce, diced tomato, diced jalapeno, a splash of fish sauce, and a squirt of lemon juice. Just toss everything together, and serve.
I had a chance to try a sample recently, and it proved a huge hit in my household.
With the romaine recall still in place, I actually ended up using shredded Savoy cabbage instead, which worked great.
This salad has so much going on — all of it good. It’s got a range of textures, from the crisp cabbage to all the delightfully crunchy garnishes. The fermented tea leaf dressing may resemble the black lagoon, but don’t let that scare you off. It’s so flavorful, with a haunting savory astringency from the tea.
The $17.99 kit makes enough for four to six servings. It’s available at Bi-Rite Markets in San Francisco, and Rainbow Grocery in San Francisco. You can also get it delivered via GoodEggs.
Enjoy this famed salad — without having to stand in line to squeeze yourself into the restaurant for it.