Leicha kolo mee + Hakka YTF ($8.30)!
Chinatown Hakka stall — lei cha (thunder tea) kolo mee with chopped vegetables, long beans, tofu, peanuts, ikan bilis, plus stuffed beancurd Hakka YTF, green herbal tea. $6.80 + $1.50.
Lunch — leicha (lei cha) kolo mee + Hakka YTF at $8.30 total, Chinatown. The Hakka herbal classic. 😋
What was on the tray ($6.80 + $1.50):
- Leicha kolo mee main bowl — Sarawak kolo mee noodles topped with chopped long beans (dark green), preserved vegetables (chai poh), diced tofu, ikan bilis (anchovies), peanuts, shredded cabbage, plus chopped basil/coriander mix.
- Bright green leicha (thunder tea) soup — herbal tea soup pour-over.
- Stuffed Hakka YTF tofu in small dish (top left) — bean curd stuffed with fish paste, drizzled in sauce + sesame.
Lei cha (擂茶) / “thunder tea rice” = Hakka heritage dish. Pounded herbal paste of tea leaves, basil, mint, peanuts, coriander, sesame seeds + hot water = the green herbal “soup”. Eat dry, then pour the green tea on top, mix, eat as soup.
The kolo mee version swaps rice for Sarawak kolo mee — same toppings + same herbal tea pour-over, different carb.
Distinctive dry + wet eating ritual = Hakka tradition. Healthy + earthy + herbal.
Overall: 4.3 / 5. Lei cha tea was bright green herbal, toppings had textural variety, kolo mee held the dressing. Hakka heritage win. 😋👍🏼
