Mohinga is one of the most famous Burmese dishes, consisting of rice vermicelli in fish broth.
The cuisine of Myanmar (or Burma) has been influenced by the respective cuisines of China, India and Thailand. However, in spite of this, Burmese cuisine has unique preparation techniques and distinct flavours unlike any other. Different regions of Burma have different variations of "standard" dishes. Use of seafood is more prevalent along coastal cities such as Sittwe, Kyaukpyu, Mawlamyaing (formerly Moulmein), Mergui and Dawei, while meat and poultry are more commonly used in landlocked cities like Mandalay. Fish and shrimp from rivers, lakes and streams, however, have traditionally been the main source of protein in a variety of ways, fresh, salted whole or filleted, salted and dried, made into a salty paste, or fermented sour and pressed. Beef and pork, although certainly not forbidden, are avoided by many Buddhists and Muslims respectively. Vegetarian dishes are also common, especially during the Buddhist lent (Wa-dwin), a three-month Rains Retreat. During this time, only two meals (i.e breakfast and lunch) are consumed before midday to observe the fasting rules(u bouk saunk) and abstainance from meat (thet that lut) is observed by many devout Buddhists.
White rice or Basmati rice is regarded as the main staple and is usually served with curry. Paw San Mhwe is the most popular rice used in Burma and is rated as high as the Thai Fragrant Rice or Basmati rice. Today, Myanmar is the world's number six producer of rice, though less exported and not guaranteed even domestic supplies. [1]
Burmese cuisine also contains a variety of salads (a thouk) centered on one major ingredient, ranging from rice, noodles, and glass vermicelli, to potato, ginger, tomato, kaffir lime, lahpet (pickled tea), and ngapi (fish paste). These salads have become popular fast-foods in Burmese cities.
Here is a popular expression that sums up the traditional favourites:
" Of all fruit the best is the mango, of all meat the best is the pork, and of all leaves it's the lahpet (tea)."
Because a standardized system of romanisation for spoken Burmese does not exist, pronunciations of the following dishes in modern standard Burmese approximated using IPA are provided.
Kat kyi hnyat ( , lit. 'cut with scissors'), a southern coastal dish (from the Dawei area) of rice noodles with a variety of seafood, land meats, raw bean sprouts, beans and fried eggs comparable to pad thai
Kya yoe hinga ( ), lotus roots in clear chicken or fish broth
Kya zan hin, glass noodle ????????? soup with chicken, wood-ear mushrooms, dried flowers, onions, boiled egg, garnished with coriander, thin-sliced onions, crushed dried chilli and a dash of lime (Mandalay)
Kyauk kyaw ( ), agar jelly usually set in two layers with coconut milk
Kyay-oh ( ), vermicelli noodles in soup with pork offal and greens
Let thouk sone (), similar to htamin thouk with shredded green papaya, shredded carrot, ogonori sea moss and often wheat noodles
Mohinga ( ), the unofficial national dish of rice vermicelli in fish broth with onions, garlic, ginger, lemon grass and sliced tender core of banana-stem, served with boiled eggs, fried fish cake (nga hpe) and fritters (akyaw)
Shwe yin aye is a popular and refreshing dessert
Mont let saung ( ), tapioca balls, glutinous rice, grated coconut and toasted sesame with jaggery syrup in coconut milk
Nan gyi thouk ( ) or Mont di, thick rice noodle salad with chickpea flour, chicken, fish cake (nga hpe), onions, coriander, spring onions, crushed dried chilli, dressed with fried crispy onion oil, fish sauce and lime
Ngapi gyet ( ), fermented spicy fish paste or salted fish curried with onions, tomatoes, garlic, chilli and coriander served with to za ya, vegetables fresh or boiled, on the side
Ngapi gyaw ( ), fried version with dried shrimp, onions, garlic and dried chilli
Shauk thee thouk, sliced lemon or kaffir lime (no pith or rind), toasted chickpea flour, crushed roasted peanut, crushed dried shrimp, crushed dried chilli, baked fish paste, cooked oil with onions (goes very well and often served with kya zan hinga)
Chinese-inspired
Si gyet hkauk swè with flat flour noodles, duck meat, chopped spring onions, fried garlic, and oil.
Mandalay Meeshay
Asein gyaw, cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, green beans, baby corn, cornflour or tapioca starch, tomatoes, squid sauce
Shan hkauk swè with topu gyaw, with monnyingyin on the side
Htamin gyin (? ), a rice, tomato and potato or fish salad kneaded into round balls dressed and garnished with crisp fried onion in oil, tamarind sauce, coriander and spring onions often with garlic, Chinese chives roots (ju myit), fried whole dried chili, grilled dried fermented beancakes (pè bouk} and fried dried topu (topu gyauk kyaw) on the side
Lahpet thouk () ), a salad of pickled tea leaves with fried peas, peanuts and garlic, toasted sesame, fresh garlic, tomato, green chili, crushed dried shrimps, preserved ginger and dressed with peanut oil, fish sauce and lime
Papaya salad
Shan tohpu ( ), a type of tofu made from chickpea flour or yellow split pea eaten as fritters (tohpu gyaw) or in a salad (tohpu thouk), also eaten hot before it sets as tohpu byawk aka tohpu nway and as fried dried topu (tohpu gyauk kyaw)
Shan hkauk swè, rice noodles with chicken or minced pork, onions, garlic, tomatoes, chili, crushed roasted peanuts, young vine of mangetout, served with topu gyaw or topu nway and pickled mustard greens (monnyingyin)
Monte-de - an extremely popular and economical fast food dish where rice vermicelli are either eaten with some condiments and soup prepared from nga-pi, or as a salad with powdered fish and some condiments
Kyar-zun thoke - glass vermicelli salad with curried duck eggs and potatoes
Ngapi Daung - an extremely spicy condiment made from pounded ngapi and green chili
Khayun thee nga chauk chet - Brinjal cooked lightly with a small amount of oil, with dried fish and chilli
Ngha-pyaw-thi-bohn - bananas stewed in milk and coconut, and garnished with sesame. Eaten either as a dish during meals, or as a dessert.
Saw-hlaing Monte - a baked sweet, made from millet, raisins, coconut and butter
Sut-hnan - millet cooked in sweet milk with raisins
Starches
The most common starch (staple food) in Myanmar is white rice. Glutinous rice called kauk hnyin is also very popular including the purple variety known as nga cheik especially as a breakfast dish. Various types of noodles are commonly used in salads and soups or fried. Vermicelli noodles and rice noodles are often used in soups, while thick rice and wheat noodles are used in salads. Palata, a flaky fried flatbread is often eaten with curried meats while nan-bya, a baked flatbread is eaten with any Indian dishes. Another favourite is aloo poori - puffed-up fried breads eaten with potato curry.
Ingredients
Ingredients used in Burmese dishes are often fresh. Many fruits are used in conjunction with vegetables in many dishes. The Burmese eat a great variety of vegetables and fruits, and all kinds of meat.
Traditionally, Burmese eat their meals with dishes on a low table, while sitting on a bamboo mat, and dishes are served more or less at the same time. A typical meal would include steaming hot rice as the staple, a curried freshwater fish or dried/salted fish dish, if affordable a curried meat or poultry dish instead, soup (hingyo) which if sour is called chinyei, and fresh or boiled vegetables to go with a salty dish almost invariably a curried sauce of pickled fish (ngapi yeigyo) in Lower Burma. Fritters such as gourd or onions in batter as well as fish or dried tohpu crackers are extra.
Out of respect, the eldest diners are always served first before the rest join in; even when the elders are absent, the first morsel of rice from the pot is scooped and put aside as an act of respect to one's parents, a custom known as oo cha (lit. first serve). Burmese people eat with their right hand, forming the rice into a small ball with only the fingertips and mixing this with various morsels before popping it into their mouths. Chopsticks and a Chinese style spoon are used for noodle dishes, although noodle salads are more likely to be eaten with just a spoon. Knives and forks are used rarely in homes but will always be provided for guests and are available in restaurants and hotels. Drinks are not often served with the meal and, instead, the usual liquid accompaniment is in the form of a light broth or consomme served from a communal bowl. However, the Burmese beverage of choice is light green tea (yei nwei gyan; ).
Influences
The countries that border Myanmar, especially India, China and Thailand - have influenced Burmese cuisine. Indian influences are found in Burmese versions of dishes such as samosas and biryani, and Indian curries, spices and breads such as nan (naan) and palata (paratha). Ethnic Indians have a monopoly on such dishes. Chinese influence in Burmese cuisine is shown in the use of ingredients like bean curd and soya sauce, various noodles as well as in stir-frying techniques. Fried insects are eaten as snacks as in neighbouring Thailand and Laos.
Gallery
<gallery>
Image:IMG 0193.JPG|Mon la gyin - pickled daikon or mooli
Image:IMG 1532.JPG|Cha-om omelette - a popular dish with ladies
Image:IMG 1530.JPG|Bu nyunt hingyo - young vine of gourd clear soup
Image:IMG 1760.JPG|Dunt dalun chin-yei - drumstick sour soup
Image:IMG 1014.JPG|Pè bouk - dried fermented bean cakes to grill or fry
Image:IMG thayetchin.JPG|Thayet chin thouk - fermented green mango salad with onions, green chilli, roasted peanuts, sesame and peanut oil
Image:food 2.jpg|nger paung thok
</gallery>
References
Mi Mi Khaing, Cook and Entertain the Burmese Way. Rangoon, 1975
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