Shan Tea-Leaf Salad

• ½ cup packed fermented tea leaves
• 1 cup finely chopped green cabbage
• 1

This salad, called niang ko in Shan language (and yam miang in Thai), is always served mixed together. Traditionally the Shan use fresh tea leaves, immerse them in hot water briefly, then squeeze them out thoroughly, discard any tough patches and leaf veins, and chop them finely. Most of us don’t have access to fresh tea leaves, so use either ½