Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Servers in teahouses around Myanmar are 'tea boys', poor kids from the countryside
who bring snacks and drinks to tables. They work daily in exchange for room, board and
several dollars a month. One told us: 'Some day I hope to be a tea maker or a teahouse
manager.'
Habits & Customs
At home, most families take their meals sitting on mats around a low, round table. In res-
taurants, chairs and tables are more common. The entire meal is served at once, rather
than in courses. In Burmese restaurants each individual diner in a group typically orders
a small plate of curry for himself or herself, while side dishes are shared among the
whole party. This contrasts with China and Thailand, for example, where every dish is
usually shared.
Traditionally, Burmese food is eaten with the fingers, much like in India, usually with
the right hand. Nowadays, it's also common for urban Myanmar people to eat with a
k'ăyìn (
or
hkayin;
fork) and
zùn
(spoon). These are always available at Burmese restaur-
ants and are almost always given to foreign diners.
If you eat at a private home, it's not unusual for the hostess and children to not join
you at the table.
Food Glossary
Typical Burmese Dishes
ǎmèh·hnaq
beef in gravy
ceq·thà·ǎc'o·jeq
sweet chicken
ceq·thà·gin
grilled chicken (satay)
ceq·thà·jaw jeq
fried chicken
hìn
curry
ǎmèh-dhà-hìn
beef curry
ceq-thà-hìn
chicken curry
ǎthì·ǎyweq·hìn/thì·zoun·hìn-jo
vegetable curry
hìn·jo
soup (clear or mild)
s'an·hlaw·hìn·jo
sizzling rice soup
