Myanmar
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Myanmar’s food has a special identity. Although its neighbouring countries influence the cuisine, the food has its distinct identity. A typical Myanmar meal is arranged around rice with accompanying dishes of fish or meat cooked in onion and garlic-based gravy. Soup can be clear, creamy or tart and is sipped during the meal to cleanse the palate. Salads are a popular side dish and some, such as the pickled tea leaf salad called lahpet, are eaten as snacks. Mohinga, a thick fish broth with thin rice noodles, is arguably Myanmar’s most famous national dish and is typically eaten for breakfast. Another delicious choice is the popular ohno kaukswe, a coconut-based chicken soup with noodles.
Tea is a staple drink in Myanmar, and tea shops are great for not only starting your day with a strong drink, but for people-watching as well. Tea is typically served hot with sweet, condensed milk added to cut its strong natural earthiness. Standout Myanmar sweets are quite simple and consist of coconut, tapioca, rice flour, and fruits. Favourites include iced coconut milk with tapioca, and Mont Lone Ye Baw, which are rice dumplings stuffed with sugar and topped with shredded coconut.
TEA LEAF SALAD
Tea leaf salad is a favourite of locals. The pickled tea leaf is mixed with a variety of beans and nuts for a flavourful dish that is full of texture. Pickled tea leaves have always had a cultural significance in Myanmar with Laphat being used as a peace offering between kingdoms at war in ancient times
MANDALAY MYEE SHAY
Mandalay Myee Shay is a theme snack of Myanmar. As the name suggests, this food originates from Mandalay. It is a rice noodles dish with meat sauce. Also, try the Myay-oh Meeshay which is a variety of the Mandalay Myee Shay but served with a large quantity of soup and fresh vegetables.
MONT HINN KHAR
A vibrant fish-based broth, Mont Hin Ga is the ideal way to start the day for most in Myanmar. It is widely considered by most to be the National dish of Myanmar. The soup native to Southern Myanmar where fresh fish is readily available, Mont Hin Khar is prepared with rice noodles and a host of flavorful herbs and spices such as ginger, garlic, onion and lemongrass. Best served hot with an assortment of accompaniments like squash fritters, boiled egg, fish cake, cilantro and chilli, Mont Hin Khar is a mouthwatering combination of goodness.
NANG GYI THOKE
Nan Gyi Thoke is a salad dish of the country made with thick rice noodles and is combined with chicken curry, sliced hard-boiled egg, bean powder and topped with onions, cilantro, lime and chilli. The salad is a tangy spicy fusion of deliciousness. It is a must-try dish when you are visiting the country.
SHAN NOODLES
This is a famous delicacy, now loved by people across the world. Shan noodles are most famous in the Shan State as well as the Mandalay Region. It is a tasty noodle dish where chicken or pork is cooked in tomatoes and is served over a bed of rice noodles. Sometimes a side dish accompanies the dish, especially when it is served with broth.Food is our common ground, a universal experience.
RAKHINE MONT TE
This dish is a specialty of Rakhine State. It is made with fresh thin rice noodles and is a semi-staple dish of the people of Rakhine State. It can be had as a salad or a soup. The common version is the coup where rice vermicelli is mixed with thin soup made of daggertooth pike conger called thinbaw htoe, lemongrass and Rakhine ngapi. The dry salad form contains the same ingredients but in a colourful combination. The green chilli paste gives the white rice noodles a slightly greenish colour.
BEIN MONT (BURMESE PAN CAKE)
Gorge on scrumptious Myanmar style pancake made with rice flour, palm sugar, coconut chips and peanuts, garnished with poppy seeds. It is fluffy in the middle and slightly crispy on the sides. People love to have it with an extra egg atop or sprinkled with nuts, or both.
COUPLE SNACK
Enjoy this snack with a curious name made with a rice flour batter fried in the hemispherical shape dimpled pan and then joining two pieces together. The snack looks like a figure of a husband and wife together, due to joining the two pieces.
MONT PYAR THALAT
Pyar Thalat means the honeycomb. The snack is baked with a rice flour batter in the shape of a honeycomb. It is made in two varieties – with and without palm sugar syrup. Palm sugar syrup is added for a sweet taste.
Food is culture and we need to listen to it
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FRITTERS
A hardcore vegetarian or not, you cannot say no to these delicious and crunchy fried vegetables. The vegetables are dipped in rice flour and then fried. Dip a piping hot fritter into tamarind sauce and enjoy it with some hot tea. They are the ideal evening snacks.
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KAYAH SAUSAGE
Kayah is famous for pork sausages. Do not miss eating them when you are visiting Myanmar. They are also available in different flavours. You can visit the villages and see how these sausages are made yourself. It's a fascinating experience.
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MOTE LAT SAUNG
Mote Lat Saung is a well-known dessert of Myanmar containing rice drops with coconut milk or jaggery caramel sauce. This dessert is traditionally served in Thingyan Festival. You will find street vendors selling it during summer everywhere.
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SA NWIN MA KIN
Sa Nwin Ma Kin is one of the most popular desserts in Myanmar. It is made with sticky rice, coconut milk, sugar and milk. It is usually served in Myanmar Donation celebration.
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SHWE YIN AYE
Shwe Yin Aye is one of the popular Myanmar traditional desserts. It is sweet and soft and made by combining small boiled sago, agar jelly, bread, sugar coconut cream, sticky rice and rice cubes. This simple dessert is easy to make, sweet and delicious.
Food is not rational. Food is culture, habit, craving and identity.
MONT LONE YAY PAW
Enjoy these traditional sweet rice balls when you visit Myanmar. The name denoted floating on water in Myanmarese. These are rice balls stuffed with palm sugar and grated coconut. Mote Lone Yay Paw is usually served during festivals but is nevertheless a favourite after-meal delicacy.
STICKY RICE
Sticky rice is a common food in Myanmar and a number of sweet and savoury items are made from it. Htamane is sticky rice-based savoury snack which is a festive delicacy in Myanmar. Both white and black rice is used to make this delicacy. Htamane is ceremoniously made during rice making competitions held in Yangon and Mandalay every year.
JAGGERY
Myanmar has an abundance of palm trees and hence jaggery is available in plenty in Myanmar. In fact, you might be handed over a piece of jaggery after dining at a local restaurant for finishing off the meal. So don’t forget to taste the wide variety of jaggery found in the country. You can also witness live jaggery making while visiting certain villages in the morning.
TODDY JUICE
If you are visiting northern Myanmar, we strongly recommend you to try the alcoholic toddy juice, which is a big part of Myanmar’s culture. You can see big and small pots hanging from palm trees where the juice is collected. This toddy is found in the rest of the country as well, but a visit to Northern Myanmar will help you see the live process of toddy-making as well.
MYANMAR BEER
Love beer? You got to try the Myanmar Beer brewed at the country’s brewery. The original brewery was established in 1886 during the British reign. in 1954, the Brewery was nationalised and is currently named as Myanmar Brewery Ltd. Since 2017, the brewery has started producing the first craft beer of the country – Burbrit. Do enjoy Myanmar Beer and Burbrit when you are here. Cheers!
Must-have food by region
Each town and region of Myanmar has distinctive food culture which presents an excellent opportunity for travellers to enjoy some exquisite delicacies. Each dish not only represents the culture of the region it originates in, but it also reflects the history of the place.
FRESH FRUITS
The local people love fruits and you will find a huge variety everywhere you go. You will find street vendors selling fresh fruits according to the season. Enjoy some watermelon, grapefruit, banana, plum, jackfruit, strawberries, mangoes and of course, the king of all fruits - durian.
MANDALAY
Mandalay presents the best of food to travellers. You have to enjoy Kyay Oh - pork and egg noodle soup and noodle salad. Also, remember to try pork skewers, lemon fish and bow see. Apart from this, do sit down at local shops and enjoy the freshly prepared food.
MAWLAMYINE
Mawlamyine is extremely famous for its delicious food. In fact, people visit the town to do a food tour. The recommended food here includes yay sein mohningar - noodle soup, glue soup noodle, faluda and full cream milk, pork rolls, Burmese pancake and various types of barbecues.
SEAFOOD AT THE BEACH
Myanmar is blessed with beaches in the eastern and southern part. These beaches are centres of amazing cuisine. Enjoy the freshest seafood like squids, octopuses, mussels and others.
SHAN TRADITIONAL FOOD
Shan State is the most popular state in Myanmar for a variety of reasons - food being a primary one. Shan people have their own indigenous dishes which are famous all over the country. Do enjoy Shan noodles and Shan yellow rice cake.Popular in Myanmar
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