LIFESTYLE |
Myanmar Traditional Foods |
Because Myanmar has diverse geographical features, favourable seasonal conditions and is naturally endowed with fertile soil and water resources, it boasts an abundant supply of food in a great variety all year around. Myanmar people enjoy rice as their main food and it comprises about 75% of the diet. Rice is served with meat or fish, soup, salad and vegetables all cooked in their own ways, and some relishes to complement the meal. During meals, all the dishes are laid out on the dining table and served together so that diners can make their own choices and combinations. Although the dishes are prepared in a variety of ways, the most common method is to cook meat or fish in oil, seasoned with pounded onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, chili and spices, and simmer until all or most of the water evaporates. The essential and most popular condiment is a kind of relish made from preserved fish or prawn, served with chili powder. Most traditional snacks, which are rich in variety and taste, are generally made with rice or glutinous rice. Mohinga , or rice noodle served with fish soup, is the favourite Myanmar dish mostly enjoyed at breakfast or on special occasions. Laphet or pickled tea leaves with a dash of oil and served with sesame seeds, fried garlic and roasted peanuts, is another popular snack typical of Myanmar. Background History of Myanmar Food Myanmar people have a long tradition of preparing food in their own way and the history of traditional food may be as old as the culture and arts of its people. Myanmar is an agrarian country with rice as the principal crop. Myanmar used to be the world's biggest rice exporter. Myanmar lies between two great and very different cultures which have influenced not only religion, culture and arts, but also the preparation of food. During the colonial period, the influx of Chinese and Indians also had an impact on Myanmar traditional food, introducing new items. With the advent of globalization and trade liberalization, most famous foods from around the world are available in the cities, yet the majority of Myanmar people still cherish their own food, ensuring that its essence and uniqueness remains unchanged. Table Manners When everything is served, people can start eating, taking small portions of dishes they like. Normally, Myanmar people eat with their fingers, but dishes are provided with serving spoons to be handles with the clean left hand. Soup is usually served in a single bowl for all the diners and is shared. Forks and spoons, but not knives, are permitted and have become popular. The elderly and the guests are given priority by letting them take the curry first. Hosts can initiate meals by serving a spoonful of curry on guest's plates after confirming if they would like the dish. Diners intending on having another helping of rice, should leave some unfinished rice as a signal more is wanted. Rice and curry are to be eaten together rather than separately and soup can be taken at intervals. At the conclusion of the meal, deserts such as laphet, fruit or jaggery may be served along with water, green tea or juice. Soups and Salads There are many different styles of soup. There are sweet broths that are clear and bland and contain meat or fish and certain vegetables. There are bitter soups that are also clear but peppery and spicy, usually to go with salads as a fast food combination. Some soups are rather sour and made so with the aid of tamarind pulp or tomato. They mostly contain vegetables to lessen the richness of a meal. Finally, there are bean soups of various kinds that are thick and tasty and usually splashed over rice as a dampener. Snacks The other famous item is Ohnnoh Khauk Swe or noodle served with rich coconut soup flavoured with chicken. Kyarsan Chet or vermicelli in spicy chicken soup is another favourite snack. Also popular are Khauk Swe Thoke or noodle salad, Ah Kyaw or assorted fries, Bein Mont or rice pancake, Mont Sein Paung or steamed rice cake, Mont Lone Gyi or rice dumpling with coconut filling, Kauk Nyin Paung or steamed glutinous rice, and Shwe Yin Aye or coconut cream sherbet. Main Dishes But beef is usually not served. Vegetables are cut and cooked in various ways, usually with a small amount of oil and dried prawn to enhance the taste. Salads are mostly made of raw, cooked or preserved vegetables, or sometimes meat, fish or prawn, added with a number of ingredients to enrich the flavour. There are four main types of soups: sweet broth, hot and spicy, sour, and bean soup. Dessert A Traditional Serving Diners serve curry and rice onto their plates. They can ask for a second helping or they can self serve if there no attendants. After the meal is finished, dessert including fresh fruits and snacks is served. Other myanmar recipes site--- Dévi-licious began with a pen and a notebook sitting in my mom’s kitchen watching my mom and aunts cooking beef curry. Basically, I wanted to learn to cook one of my favorite childhood foods. Learning to cook my favorites, led to discovering more and more delicious food. As an adult my tastes changed and I liked eating more of a variety of foods from different cultures and ethnicities. I wanted to learn about the foods my grandmother ate in Myanmar and how she prepared them. Pwa Pwa (Grandma) grew up in a village in Upper Myanmar named the Shan State and finally settled in Yangon with the family. She cooked enough food for an army most of the time. There were lots of children in the house and many church activities that always needed meals to feed people. Read More http://www.myanmarrecipes.com/ |
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