Leicha, an enduring tradition of tea

Hakka leicha (擂茶 Hakka: lu̠ica̠, Mandarin: léichá), or 'pounded/ground tea.' Tea leaves are ground up using a mortar and pestle along with other ingredients to create a smooth paste which is then brewed with already-brewed tea. This is one of two categories of leicha in China, the other one being Hunanese leicha. As with Japanese matcha, leicha gives you the health benefits of consuming the entire tea leaf! 🍵

The centuries-old tradition of Hakka leicha is centered around the Hailufeng and Hepo areas (where it is common for the local people to consume it daily), but as a result of Hakka migration, it is also present in other areas such as Taiwan and Southeast Asia. Leicha is traditionally popular for Hakka hosts to serve to visiting guests. Usually, green or oolong teas are used (here I used oolong). The most common ingredients that are ground up with the tea leaves are sesame seeds and peanuts, but the recipe can be customized according to taste as well, so any range of things like pumpkin seeds, ginger, mint, basil, almonds, cashews, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, dried fruit, and the like can also be used; here I tossed in pumpkin seeds and a little basil as well. Crispy toasted rice (Hakka: 飯𤊶 fānla̠t, Mandarin: 鍋巴 guōbā) can either be ground up along with these, or sprinkled on top of the final product. The nuts and sesame seeds basically act like a built-in "nut milk" and give a creamy opacity to the tea, so no creamer is needed. The resulting color of the tea will depend on what kind of tea leaves are used (here I end up with a golden hue from the oolong tea leaves, but greener hues can be had with green tea leaves or if more green herbs are added). Hakka leicha is traditionally more savory and nutty, but sweet versions are popular nowadays as well, so I used a pinch of lower-glycemic coconut palm sugar for a nice floral taste, though plain sugar, honey, or calorie-free options like Stevia and erythritol work just as fine. Leicha is a very versatile drink that is easy to adapt to any dietary needs such as paleo/ketogenic/vegetarian/vegan/hypo-allergenic/etc., so anyone can enjoy this healthy beverage, and you can serve it with of course with whatever snacks fit your diet as well. There is also a traditional Hakka dish where leicha is poured over a mix of rice and diced vegetables to make a full meal, but I'll save that for next time ;)