My mom has always been pretty critical about “outside food”, and every once in a while, she would volunteer to chip to my kitchen renovation fund with some of her hard earned money so that perhaps I could cook a little more.

Well, mom, the kitchen will be taken care of eventually, and in the mean time, worry no more, I have finally found the disgustingly healthy hawker food – Lui Cha (擂茶)

Hakka Lui Cha at Kelana Jaya
Lui Cha – brown rice, nuts, tofu, and lots of vegetable

Lui Cha literally means pounded tea in Cantonese, which described the way the way the soup is made – by pounding mixture of tea leaves and possibly mints to a very minty green tea like liquid. The soup accompanies a bowl of brown rice topped with plenty of nuts (or roast soy beans), chopped long beans, tofu, pickled as well as fresh vegetable.

Lui Cha
mix it, eat it separately, drink the soup, it’s up to you

You can now find quite a number of kopitiam and hawker centers selling this traditional Hakka dish, I had my first one at New Yew Sang kopitiam at Kelana Jaya, recommended by Cheesie (there’s another one at Ho Weng Kee at SS2, which also has this nice wan tan mee).

The reason it took me this long to try Lui Cha is basically the fact that it’s all green with no animal killed in the production, but after tasting it, I must confess that I actually find it rather tasty.

The brown rice is quite sweet, the combination of nuts and all that vegetable gives a very fresh and crunchy texture while the pickled vegetable chipping in with a little bit of saltiness for that extra dimension. It was nice.

KY & cheesie having lui cha
it was well, quite tasty actually!

I think most people like to mix the dry bowl with the soup, but after experimenting with mixing them in the spoon, I find my taste buds agree more with having the rice and vegetables/nuts separately, and in the end, I didn’t exactly finish the soup. I guess I probably only salvaged 65% of the goodness from the whole dish, but one can never ask for too much. 😀

Address:
New Yee Sang kopitiam
Jalan SS 6/8
Kelana Jaya

GPS: 3.106717, 101.598178

Lui Cha (客家擂茶) is this overly healthy stuff
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39 thoughts on “Lui Cha (客家擂茶) is this overly healthy stuff

  • September 24, 2009 at 1:40 am
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    This is very close to where I live. Looks like great stuff, have been hearing a couple of coworkers talking about it, not sure if they’re talking about this place.

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  • September 24, 2009 at 1:58 am
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    Yesh! Vegetarian is the way and that’s my fav veg dish.

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  • September 24, 2009 at 2:02 am
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    looks a bit too green to my likings. 😛

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  • September 24, 2009 at 3:13 am
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    it’s one of my fav food in the world. no guilt! haha

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  • September 24, 2009 at 5:46 am
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    This brings back memories! I used to have it EVERY Sunday at my late grandfather’s house and also every week at home while growing up . It’s Hakka and for some strange reason my family call it by ‘Ham cha’.(salty tea?) There is actually another condiment that is added to the tea that is a salt+coriander mixture if I’m not mistaken, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen it served outside so maybe it’s a long lost tradition or smthg.

    I’m definitely gonna ask my mum to teach me the original recipe when I go back! Grinding peanuts manually like the olden days should be fun all over again! Oh so nostalgic..

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  • September 24, 2009 at 8:43 am
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    hahahha i tried it once but i cant tahan! the vege smell is too great and the one i had was way more greener…. =_=

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  • September 24, 2009 at 9:13 am
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    Huai Bin,
    They should be! 😀

    Z0E,
    Vegetarian is.. not the only way 😛

    Robb,
    Hahaha, cos no pork?

    kimberlycun,
    Not pork scratching? LOL

    Valerie,
    Wah so hardcore, share the recipe ok! 😀

    Crystal,
    Hahaha this one wasn’t bad at all though 😀

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  • September 24, 2009 at 11:11 am
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    I assume that u r not a Hakka then 🙂
    nowadays most people have already used machinery to grind the ingredients for the soup… far cry from the older days when my grandma used a special pot with guava branch to grind! Lack of those “yan hei” I’d say! But then if you are really into this dish… click on this site
    http://superpages.com.my/superhome/restaurants/restaurant-lui-cha-king-%E5%AE%A2%E5%AE%B6%E9%9B%B7%E8%8C%B6-87471.html
    I’m a Hakka… and I eat this dish almost every week coz my mom prepares it for me 🙂

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  • September 24, 2009 at 11:11 am
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    i agree with cheesie! totally AWESOME!

    when i first had it, it tasted only so-so

    then after a few rounds of OT food (fast food) it is my saviour T_______T

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  • September 24, 2009 at 11:12 am
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    oh lui-cha aka ham-cha there’s a pretty good one in Seremban…
    hidden somewhere in a village, family style…open from 11am to 3pm …closed on monday wednesday and friday…can see big big cars around during business hours…

    oh,ok, cheesie already told you that,oops

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  • September 24, 2009 at 11:18 am
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    Not everyone likes Lei Cha. My first time trying it I didn’t like it, especially the green minty soup. I still do not touch the soup. I like to add braised pork leg gravy or other gravy on my Lei Cha. Taste better, haha!

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  • September 24, 2009 at 11:22 am
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    cheesie,
    Oh yess!

    Leo,
    Wah, such a luxury! :D, you’re right, I’m hokkien, not hakka. 😀

    jean`,
    OoO very interesting.

    lb,
    No she didn’t tell me! lol

    STUMPBO,
    Hahahhaa, braised pork leg gravy would go well, I agree. LOL

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  • September 24, 2009 at 11:29 am
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    I am a Fan of Lei Cha (客家擂茶). It is not just healthy. It helps heal high blood pressure, reduce weight and improve ones complexion. Long term consumption of Lei Cha too, increases life longevity. It not only contains high fibre from vegetables that improves ones digestion system, but it also provides rich groups of vitamins, depending onthe ingredients the chef uses.

    My favourite place to visit:
    Big Big Bowl
    No31, Jalan Metro Prima Barat 2,
    Taman Usahawan Kepong, right opposite Jusco Kepong

    or you may try here:
    Wang Seng hawker stalls in Aman Puri. Almost the end of the road. Cannot recall Gerai No.

    Both these places Lei Cha is thick and yummy1 Enjoy…

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  • September 24, 2009 at 12:18 pm
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    eeww…i never liked the lui cha thingy. It makes you chew and chew and still chew!

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  • September 24, 2009 at 1:25 pm
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    Never tried it before…and don’t think will in the future.

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  • September 24, 2009 at 1:41 pm
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    OMG,
    Wah another lui cha professional! Thanks! 😀

    eiling,
    Hahaha maybe you had some lousy ones.

    JD,
    ahhh, never say never. 😉

    Reply
  • September 24, 2009 at 2:32 pm
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    omg! i miss eating this! i practically grew up eating lui cha (once a week). now only get to eat it on the first day of chinese new year. =(

    hey, you should mix the soup in, looks disgusting but taste BEST!

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  • September 24, 2009 at 2:35 pm
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    yeah, lui cha is my fav. when i was in kuching. it’s hakka food right?

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  • September 24, 2009 at 2:44 pm
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    Too much vege for my liking. saks!!

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  • September 24, 2009 at 3:05 pm
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    I like lui cha because of the nuts and fresh vegetables… not bad.. 😛

    Note: If you are lazying to go out for the lui cha.. try this delivery to your doorstep! >>> http://www.greenlife.com.my/main

    Reply
  • September 24, 2009 at 3:25 pm
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    dy,
    ooo, mixing the soup, i tried, not my cup of tea/soup… yet. 😀

    jg,
    Yah it’s hakka food. 😀

    xes,
    LOL, exactly what i thought!

    sotong,
    Oooo yah interesting!

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  • September 24, 2009 at 6:38 pm
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    OMG this place is right next door to where I used to work *sniffsniff* I like the Ipoh “upside down” rice with salted fish at this shop. I think Cheesie is having soup from their stall. The chap fan is also awesome.

    Huai Bin, your apartment is the spanking new one eh? Dont park your car on the lorongs there, MBPJ LOVES to saman. Esp when people are having lunch >___< And I digress, but you should try the rojak opposite the "small Giant". He sells from a van. Go for the sotong version YUMSS.

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  • September 25, 2009 at 12:00 am
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    zoe,
    Yewwww lol

    whimsicaljottings,
    upside down rice? Interesting, hhmmmm thanks for the tips 😉

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  • September 25, 2009 at 6:17 am
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    I used to eat Lui Cha for lunch in the Oasis food court when I was working in Mid Valley a few years ago.

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  • September 25, 2009 at 10:09 am
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    Simon Seow,
    Eat more!

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  • September 25, 2009 at 4:42 pm
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    i’ve tried this lui cha before at this coffee shop.. the coffee shop has steamed soup right? but i don’t remember them having brown rice!

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  • September 26, 2009 at 8:45 am
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    lui cha, i guess is one of the healthiest meal of the hakka cuisine. unfortunately some people may not like the taste of the mint soup. i too.like to have them separately. KY.. this is a good one. and ur blog is interesting.

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  • September 26, 2009 at 11:56 pm
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    this is something really healthy. i will have that from time to time. when i feel healthy.

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  • September 27, 2009 at 1:32 am
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    Jac,
    Yess there’s steamed soup too, correct!

    riko,
    Hahah yah, thank you very much. 🙂

    Myhorng,
    Hahaha yah, like once in 6 month. 😛

    Reply
  • September 27, 2009 at 3:30 am
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    come la kelantan eat some kerabu…

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  • September 27, 2009 at 10:06 am
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    not sure the lui char taste at this restaurant. btw, i dun like to eat lui char…but after trying one of the lui char stall at a foodcourt at puchong….i start to love it. heard it served good lui char and lots of ppl eat there too….

    Reply
  • September 27, 2009 at 10:57 am
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    hii… got here from adsense. :]
    you have a great blog about food.
    yumm yummy~

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  • September 27, 2009 at 10:16 pm
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    winsern,
    O.o but it’s farrrr

    vialentino,
    Ooo interesting, I guess it’s a bit of an acquired taste.

    Renise,
    Haha thanks thanks. 😀

    Reply
  • August 31, 2011 at 12:29 am
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    I agree that eating the rice separately from the soup is better. LOVE the rice, the soup.. not so. But hopefully i will get used to its taste eventually. Healthy food FTW! 😉

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    • September 2, 2011 at 10:39 am
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      Vivian: haha yeap, healthy food ftw. 😀

      Reply
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