Lei cha kolo mee + Hakka YTF takeaway ($7.80 + $1.50)!
Hakka lei cha (thunder tea) kolo mee with stuffed YTF on top — yellow noodles with long beans, mei cai, peanuts, beancurd, plus lei cha herbal green soup on the side. $7.80 + $1.50.
WFH lunch — Hakka lei cha kolo mee + stuffed YTF takeaway. $9.30. The herbal-green Hakka heritage bowl, repeat order. 😋
What was in the takeaway box ($7.80 noodles + $1.50 YTF):
- A bowl of yellow ramen-style kolo mee topped with the classic Hakka lei cha mix: chopped long beans (chai poh), dark mei cai (preserved mustard greens), toasted peanuts, chopped basil/lei cha herbs, dried shrimp, firm beancurd cubes and a sprinkle of black-eye peas.
- On top: a fried YTF piece (stuffed beancurd with minced fish) with bits of diced chilli + ginger scattered on top.
- A separate cup of bright green lei cha soup — the herbal-tea broth made from blended basil, mint, peanuts and tea. Pour over the noodles when ready to eat.
Pouring the lei cha soup over the noodles is the moment — the noodles take on the green herbal flavour and the whole bowl becomes the Hakka thunder-tea-noodles classic. Adding the YTF as the savoury anchor on top gives the proteinous bite to balance the herby vegetarian-leaning noodles.
The combination of dried shrimp + peanut + mei cai is the signature Hakka flavour trio — savoury-salty + crunchy + sour-fermented. This stall got the proportions right.
Total: $9.30 for noodles + YTF.
Overall: 4.4 / 5. Lei cha was the herbal-green standout (not for everyone but I’m sold), YTF was generous. Will keep reordering this combo when the Hakka craving hits. 😍👍🏼
