Travel Reference
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than as a dessert, and it's common to just have a lump of t'ănyeq (jaggery, or unrefined palm
sugar) at the end of a meal.
BUDDHISM AND FOOD IN BURMA
Happily, it's possible to be considered a devout Buddhist in Myanmar even if you only
practisethe EightPrecepts (whichincludebansonintoxicatingdrinks,dancingandeating
afternoon,amongothergoodthings)fortwodaysamonth.Indailylife,however,Burmese
Buddhists are more likely to abstain from eating beef than from drinking alcohol , the
former being considered taboo, as cows are highly respected. That said, beef curries are
still available in some Myanmar restaurants, but chicken, pork and fish are far more com-
mon.
Many Burmese people will be temporarily vegetarian at various points during the year,
particularly during Buddhist Lent , which usually falls between July and October. Outside
of this period meat is eaten freely, in apparent violation of yet another precept - to refrain
from taking life - the thinking being that as long as one doesn't kill the animal oneself, it's
a-okay to eat it.
Burmese food
A brief look around any market in Myanmar will reveal the key ingredients of Burmese
cuisine:onionsandshallots,riceand ngăpí ,apungentfermentedfishpastethatvendorsoften
stick incense sticks into to take the edge off the smell. If you are at all interested in food, it's
well worth seeking out wet markets on your travels. These colourful, messy markets reveal
the huge range of exotic ingredients that go into Burmese cooking, and are often a focus of
local life.
In Burmese cooking it's considered important to balance flavours , with sour, spicy, bitter
and salty tastes combined in each meal; this is generally done across a series of dishes rather
thanonasingleplate.Forexample,amildcurrymightbeaccompaniedbybitterleaves,dried
chilli and a salty condiment such as ngăpí .
TOP FIVE BURMESE RESTAURANTS
999 Shan Noodle Shop, Yangon
Lucky Seven, Yangon
San Ma Tu, Hpa-An
Thirigayhar, Kalaw
Shan Mama, Mandalay
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