Leicha (擂茶)

Assorted vegetables, tofu, pickled radish, peanuts

Place Brown rice,add on top with assorted vegetables, tofu, pickled radish, peanuts into a big bowl serve with hot green leicha soup (leicha tea)

The ”lei cha” “擂茶”rice is a traditional hakka-chinese dialect group cuisine, back in the olden days, the common villagers and even soldiers in china considered ”lei cha” rice as a rich source of nutrients and a medicinal food to fight against illnesses. it’s made with very simple, affordable, down-to-earth ingredients that are nutritious and generally good for our  diet. For preparation leicha is not too complicated but involves a labour-intensive process of physically pounding and grinding the various ingredients into a fine texture with a thick guava thick wooden stick and a special deep leicha bowl ; that’s why it’s called “擂茶” - “擂” meaning “to pound or finely grind”but now day people grind leicha ingredients all in food processor .

“Leicha” rice has become more widely found and popular in Malaysia and  Singapore ! The reason is you either love it or hate it. i have to admit it’s quite an acquired taste.The most my family love is more mint leaves in the ”lei cha” tea stock ,having a minty taste in my rice yum ~

I always use my simple version of herb that i can easily get in my garden.

This is very healthy nutritions and delicious with many natural herbs .

Ingredients A

• 2 cup Rice or Brown Rice
• salt to taste

Ingredients B (soup)

• 4 Tbsp Peanuts (skinned and toasted)
• 4 Tbsp White sesame seeds (toasted)
• A bunch of Mint leaves( from my garden) know as Pudina in India
• A bunch of Sweet basil leaves (ocimum basilicum L from my garden)
• some coriander  leaves
• 3 pcs of the bitter Jiapi(from my garden)
• Some Artemisia vulgaris(mugwort) leaves (from my garden)It is believed that mugwort can cure hundreds of sickness.
• Some Eryngium foetidium L.
• Little bit of green tea leaves and black pepper,salt to taste.

Ingredients C (assorted vegetable)

• Cabbage(diced) 300 grams
• Sweet potato leaves (diced) – 300 grams
• Long beans (diced) – 300 grams
• Chives flowers (diced) – 300 grams
• Chinese celery (diced) – 300 grams
• Fried organic tofu (diced)-4 pieces
• Pickled radish (chai poh)100 grams
• 1/2 bowl toasted Peanuts
• You can use as many different veggie  you love
• OR
• You can try eat Raw ….dice all raw organic veggie (mm..I think i will try Raw leicha next time)

Method

• Lei-cha soup – Use a special earthen-ware and grind the ingredients(B) with a special guava stick.
• Add litter water while grinding to smoothen the paste.
• OR the Alternate way is to put all ingredients(B) with little bit of water into a food processor and blend into paste. Add boiling hot water when serve.
• Assorted vegetable – Heat oil, Stir fry assorted vegetables separately with a bit of salt until fragrant aromatic and cooked.
• Heat oil and fry tofu till light brown and dish out.
• Place Brown rice, assorted vegetables, tofu, pickled radish, peanuts into a big bowl
• Pour in hot leicha soup and serve.
• You may also serve rice and soup separately if desired.

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