Burmese Food

Coconut noodle soup was one of my childhood food aversions eventually becoming the absolute favorite in adulthood. It took me a typhoid to ignite the conversion. My body had only consumed porridge for days, but instantly restored an appetite to the whiff of warm, fragrant soup my mom was making. I remember begging her for a whole bowl, but was given only a couple spoonfuls, not to agitate my weak stomach. Still, it provided the full comfort and satisfaction I needed.  The broth of the noodle soup, rich and silky with synergy of coconut milk and chickpea flour slurry, contains pearl onions and chunks of chicken, preferably bone-in for more flavor. All the toppings and fixings from crispy fritters and boiled eggs to toasted chili flakes and lime juice allow the soup to be further customizable to each person’s palate. It's called Ohn-no-khao-swe, but tastes more like Oh-yes-khao-swe. INGREDIENTS - 1 cup coconut milk - 2 tbsp. chickpea flour - 1 medium onion, diced - 3 cloves ga...

  Proudly presenting our national pride Mohinga is a Burmese fish soup with fermented thin rice noodles. It all starts with making a smooth flavorful broth from extracting natural sweet juices of fleshy fish, ideally catfish, combined with other spices and aromatics. Waking up to a heavenly waft of mohinga, a quintessential Burmese breakfast and the very definition of comfort food is quite common.  We seldom make mohinga at home because first, it is quite a tedious task that requires many hands for long hours and second, it is conveniently available as early as 6am in every corner of the street, from neighborhood markets to street food stalls and tea houses. The holy aroma trinity of fish sauce, lemongrass, and pepper can effortlessly conjure up anyone's appetite. After an early market run at a morning wet bazaar, my mom and I would grab a bowl of mohinga along with a cup of sweet tea, right beside this big pot on a charcoal stove, boiling aggressively with heavily lemongrass-...

  Laphet Thoke or Tea Leaf Salad is not only the most famous and adored of all Burmese salads, it holds a significant cultural importance. Highly regarded as the king of all leaves, laphet is a perfect appetizer, snack, dessert, palate cleanser, stimulant, and can even become a full course meal with just a bowl of hot steamed rice. Laphet serves as a centerpiece for all events, from peace-making and sealing the deals to asking for the bride's hand and the list goes on.  Juvenile tea leaves, usually two leaves and a bud, are hand picked and fermented over two weeks. At the end of natural fermentation, they are flavored with salt, lime juice, garlic, green chilies and submerged in fragrant peanut oil. Because laphet is predominantly delicate, crunchy-toasty bites of peanuts, sesame seeds, and garlic chips are a must, for contrast of textures. The brines of fish sauce and dried shrimp temper the slightly bitter tea leaves interlocked with loud punches from chilies, garlic, and li...