Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Regional & Ethnic Variations
Burmese cuisine can be broadly broken down into dishes found in 'lower Myanmar'
(roughly Yangon and the delta), with more fish pastes and sour foods; and 'upper Myan-
mar' (centred at Mandalay), with more sesame, nuts and beans used in dishes.
In Mandalay and around Inle Lake, it is fairly easy to find Shan cuisine, which is relat-
ively similar to northern Thai cuisine. Rice plays an important role in Shan cuisine, and
in addition to Shan-style rice noodles,
ngà t'ămìn jin
(rice kneaded with turmeric oil and
topped with fish) is worth seeking out.
Mon cuisine, most readily available in towns stretching from Bago to Mawlamyine, is
very similar to Burmese food, with a greater emphasis on curry selections. While a
Burmese restaurant might offer a choice of four or five curries, a Mon restaurant will
have as many as a dozen, all lined up in curry pots to be examined. Mon curries are also
more likely to contain chillies than those of other cuisines.
Rakhine food is often likened to Thai food for its spiciness.
Ngǎyouq·thì jiq
, a 'dip' of
grilled chillies mashed with lime and shrimp paste, is an obligatory side that embodies
this, and sour soups and seafood-based curries are also constants. The region's signature
noodle dish is
móun·di
, thin rice noodles served in a peppery fish-based broth, often with
a side of a spicy chilli paste.
In towns large and small throughout Myanmar you'll find plenty of Chinese restaur-
ants, many of which do a distinctly Burmese (ie oily) take on Chinese standards. Despite
being the most ubiquitous type of dining in Myanmar (upcountry this is often the only
kind of restaurant you'll find), it's probably the least interesting.
Indian restaurants are also common, although much more so in the big cities than else-
where. Most are run by Muslim Indians, a few by Hindus. Excellent chicken
dan·bauq
(biryani), as well as all-you-can-eat vegetarian
thali
served on a banana leaf, can be
found in Yangon and Mandalay.
An Introduction to Myanmar Cuisine
(2004) by Ma Thanegi is an excellent source of My-
anmar recipes, both sweet and savoury.
Sweets
The typical Burmese dessert is often little more than a pinch of pickled tea leaves or a
lump of palm sugar (jaggery). More substantial sweet dishes, generally referred to as
móun
(sometimes written
moun
or
mont
), are regarded as snacks in Myanmar, and are of-
ten taken with equally sweet tea in the morning or afternoon.
