The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Burmese Foods. If you manage to be in an Burmese restaurant or you are visiting Myanmar, I recommend the following:
1. Shan-Style Noodles
The typical noodles of the Shan ethnic group in northern Burma are commonly a perfect combination of thin noodles and chicken, marinated pork, with roasted sesame and garlic flavor, served with pickled gherkins and broth. The strange and delicious taste accompanied by the “flashy” appearance is the reason why Shan-style noodles become the first choice for many tourists in Burma.
2. Tea Leaf Salad
This curious salad is made with green tea leaves, which are marinated in a marinade of oil, garlic, salt and chili. It is accompanied by dried shrimp, sesame, garlic, peanuts and fried beans. But the recipe is not always like this, the ingredients can vary depending on who makes it and even the area you visit. The dish is versatile. It can be a snack, a starter or a full meal when accompanied by a bowl of rice.
3. Shan-Style 'Tofu' Noodles
One of the most unusual dishes in Myanmar is hto hpu nwe, which literally means “hot tofu”. The dish is related to the Shan people of northern Myanmar and does not actually contain tofu, but a rather dense paste made from chickpea flour. The sticky yellow substance is served over thin rice noodles and pieces of marinated chicken or pork. It is drizzled with a dash of chili oil and garnished with preserved vegetables and broth.
4. Nangyi Thoke
The dish consists of thick rice noodles with chicken, thin slices of fish bread, pre-cooked bean sprouts and slices of boiled egg. The ingredients are seasoned with a mixture of roasted chickpea flour, turmeric and chili oil, stirred by hand and served with preserved vegetables and a bowl of broth.
5. Mohinga
Burma’s national dish is Mohinga, a round rice noodle served with fish and onion broth, occasionally with crispy banana tree innards. You can also add boiled eggs, fried akyaw vegetables, crispy fried lentils, lemon juice and dried peppers. It is a favorite breakfast dish and is offered by street vendors. It is a common snack at any time of the day or night.
6. Burmese Tea Shop Meal
Myanmar tea shops are not just places where you sip small cups of sweet, milky tea. They’re also places to get a crash course in various Myanmar dishes – often representative of the ethnic group to which the shop owner belongs. Tea shops run by Burmese natives are most good places to immerse yourself in the world of traditional Burmese rice or noodle dishes such as htamin thoke, a kind of rice salad. Indian or Muslim tea shops tend to serve samosas or nanbya, while Chinese shops serve baked sweets, steamed buns or dim sum.
7. Burmese Curry
Curry is clearly a highlight of Burmese cuisine due to the Indian influence. This is a traditional dish with spicy and aromatic herbs of the Indians. Many types of meat such as pork, beef, lamb, shrimp, fish can be served with curry. Burmese curry is always accompanied with Ngapi ye sauce, rice, vegetables, herbs and tofu.
8. Shan-Style Rice
Nga htamin fish rice, also known as Shan rice, is a rice dish cooked with golden turmeric and served with spicy fried fish, roasted peanuts and some seasonal vegetables. Sometimes the fish can be replaced with chicken or simply with garlic oil, clove leaves and fried pork skin. Nga htamin is served with fried rice paper and hot sauce. This dish becomes a snack that ranges in flavor from strong to spicy.
9. Deep-Fried Stuff
In Myanmar, it is virtually impossible to avoid fried food. Most of the snacks found on the street or in tea shops – samosas, spring rolls, savory fritters, sweets or breads – are fried, and many noodle dishes have akyaw, crispy, fried decorations. One fried dish that is particularly worth seeking out is buthi kyaw: deep-fried battered pieces of pumpkin. When served hot, the thin, crispy batter hides a soft, slightly watery tender pumpkin interior; the fritters are typically served with a sweet and sour sauce made with tamarind that can turn salty if bean powder is added.
10. Burmese Sweet Snacks
Unlike sweet dishes in the West, Burmese sweets (collectively known as moun) are not eaten as dessert, but as snacks, typically accompanied by tea and consumed in the morning or afternoon. Moun are usually not rich in sugar, but get their sweet flavors from ingredients such as grated coconut, coconut milk, rice flour, cooked sticky rice, tapioca and fruits. Among the most notable Burmese sweets are hsa nwin ma kin, ghee, bein moun and moun pyit thalet.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional Asian Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.