Thunder tea rice: great for slimming & beauty
On most Sundays for the past few months, we’ve been having lunch with my nephew and my bestie. Sometimes, we head to somewhere nice but usually it’s food court fare and the selection isn’t always great. In recent weeks however, we’ve discovered something very healthy and yet tasty – the Thunder Tea Rice – which is a signature dish for Hakka families. Surprisingly, my son loves this dish too and although I can’t say this is my favorite food for now, I’m glad to learn that Thunder Tea Rice has got slimming and beauty benefits.
A signature Hakka dish
Apparently, Thunder Tea Rice is a simple but iconic Hakka dish usually eaten on the 7th day of the Lunar New Year. You can find plenty of ingredients including diced tofu, green beans, ground nuts, pickled radish and other vegetables mixed into cooked brown rice or white rice and served with tea made from tea leaves, basil and mint. Just pour the tea into the rice and vegetable mixture, stir and indulge! Eating this dish actually provides many health benefits but here, I’ll just focus on those that are beauty related.
For slimming
Going by the ingredients of herbs, vegetables and tofu, this dish is definitely low in fat and cholesterol. I also learnt that this dish increases metabolism rate and body detoxification as it helps to drain excess body fluid waste. As such, Thunder Tea Rice can aid in slimming and is great for those who need to watch their weight.
For better skin complexion
On top of improving our immune system, Thunder Tea Rice can also improve gastric condition and ease digestion. As a result, eating this will help to improve skin texture and is particular good for those who are suffering from acne due to a poor digestive system.
Great for those who eat out often
The reason why I’m blogging about this dish is because I find it a great for those who need to eat out most of the time and want something that can provide health and beauty benefits. It is not an expensive dish; S$4.50 for the Thunder Tea Rice with brown rice. So you can eat this at least twice a week or more if you like. The only problem is it is not available at all the food courts but only at Food Republic in Suntec City or Vivo City. You can also find this dish at Lau Pa Sat Festival Market, Blk 480 Toa Payoh, 328 Joo Chiat Road and 269 Queen Street (check their website for addresses). Other than their signature dishes, which are Thunder Tea Rice, Hakka Tau Kwa, and Egg Omelette, you can also choose from a variety of other dishes in their menu. Personally, I won’t mind eating this like once or twice a week but I have to say, the portion served is too much for me.
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This is one of my most favorite dishes! Healthy and yummy! But I think some might find the taste combo weird, like “too healthy”.
This is my favorite dish whenever I have to eat out! Followed by YTF.. Hehe.. But hey, i thought the stall at Food Republic Vivocity is selling the brown rice version at $5 now? It used to be $4.50 though. The white rice version also went up from $4 to $4.50.
wow…this seems pretty awesome..but tea in rice??? doesn’t that taste weird??
No, actually not. It’s got that tea scent and it’s got a light taste. But to some pple, they might find it bland.
I’ve not eaten at Vivocity. The one at Lau Pa Sat cost SA4 for white rice and S$4.50 for brown rice. Think the one at Suntec might also cost around the price at Vivocity.
Btw. what’s YTF?
Haha…I think the taste might be bland for some pple. At first I was weird out by the tea over rice but having seen how they like to eat this way in Japan, I ventured to give it a try and am surprise that I rather like it. But I would have like it more if the serving is smaller. The big bowl is kind of scary. A smaller one would be more appetizing.
I’m glad that your son likes something so health at such a young age! You’re right that it’s a homey Japanese custom – by that I mean at home or in more casual restaurants – to pour tea into the remaining rice in your bowl.
And this is sometimes comfort food at home. A bowl of rice (usually 12-grain in my home, but white when we really need comforting) a vegetable side dish or two like marinated cucumbers, blanched watercress or choi sum or pickled radishes or cabbage, a pot of green tea, either seaweed paste or furikake (dry flakes with sesame seed). And umeboshi (pickled plums). And usually, for a Hawaiian twist, poke (marinated raw fish). This is actually the meal I crave when we first return from a trip – so comforting.
The basil and mint in your tea sounds like a SEAsian/Singaporean twist, and Vietnamese use lots of basil and mint in their cuisine. I would like to try this someday – it doesn’t sound too difficult to make, either!
Wow..I was actually eating thunder tea rice for lunch during weekdays at a store near my workplace for the whole of last month. However, I got a bit bored and decide to stop for a while.
My husband is Hakka Hor poh, the clan that created this hakka dish thus thunder tea is a regular meal in our house.
My in laws, husband and his siblings’ have nice porcelain complexions which my mum in laws credits to the thunder tea soup.
Sometimes, my mum in law will stir fried some spicy dills to add on to the dish which complement it really well!
Wow, you have this right at home regularly? That’s to be envied! So it is really true this helps to create better complexion…now more power to Thunder Tea Rice! Heheh.
I remember you mentioned you’ve turned vegetarian? So I was thinking while writing this that you might eat this pretty regularly. ?
Oh you used the right word – comfort food! And you’re making me drool just reading what you eat at home. ?
You’re right that it’s not difficult to make this dish…just a bit time consuming preparing the various ingredients I would imagine.
Actually, what I like most is to add hot soup into my rice and turn that into comfort food. It’s very tasty…more so than the thunder tea rice actually.
I can take the entire bowl most of the time.. but yeah, kinda heavy afterwards. I also like that it makes the breath feel fresher ?
Hey, this is OT… but would you mind sharing what font you used on your pics? I think I can use this for a current project I’m working on. XD
Oh my…. what I miss about Asia is definitely the food!! I’ve never tried Hakka food before nor did I ever had tea on rice.
I’m surprised that your son likes this dish. Boys tend to dislike everything that’s green and healthy.
Yes I was surprised too. He used to like greens when he was younger, then he hated most of them afterwards. It might be the novelty of eating this that appeals to him.
Sure thing! It’s Great Thunder. You can find it here: http://www.dafont.com/the-great-thunder.font.
i love this dish and i am a hakka! unfortunately my husband’s family don’t like it ? it’s been long since i had this already.
Oh you’re a Hakka! ?
my acronym for yong tau foo :p
Yehey! Thanks!!! ?
i try this in Bugis, very refreshing, I plan to make some for my family
I’m of Indian origin and my wife Hakka-Cantonese. I been having it regularly for more than 20 years at Jurong West and Kallang Bahru…. Absolutely live it! Eat it at every opportunity . The hard part in preparing it at home is to get the tea just right.