Local cuisine Flavours from the streets of Yangon

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Culinary Local cuisine Flavours from the streets of Yangon Tired of eating in fancy restaurants and want to experience the wide variety of food on offer in Yangon?

1 Culinary Local cuisine Flavours from the streets of Yangon Tired of eating in fancy restaurants and want to experience the wide variety of food on offer in Yangon? Check out our quick guide to eight favourite dishes and the great local restaurants where you can try them. Ohno kaukswe Ohno kaukswe (coconut noodles) is without doubt a Myanmar favourite. However, its thick coconut soup not only fills hungry stomachs but is also notorious for pushing blood pressure to astronomical levels. Doctors are forever warning the public to choose a more healthy option, so it s with some regret that most people eat ohno kaukswe only occasionally and the dish is now considered a guilty pleasure. It s probably for this reason that there are few, if any, dedicated ohno kaukswe shops, but most good teashops will be able to fix you up with a bowl in the morning, alongside regular teashop fare, such as mohinga (fish noodle soup) and kaukswe thoke (noodle salad). Shwe Yi, located in a quiet side street near the busy Myaynigone Junction, is one of Yangon s more famous teashops. As well as ohno kaukswe, it also specialises in traditional snacks, like mon lone yay por rice balls filled with sweet jaggery, or palm sugar and does a mean cup of Myanmar-style tea to boot. Shwe Yi No 27, Maha Bawga Street, Myaynigone, Sanchaung township Tel: (01) Air Mandalay - The Golden Flight 41

Mohinga Mohinga (thick spicy fish soup with vermicelli) is the most in-demand breakfast in Myanmar.

Some people even say they will never leave the country because they worry they can t find a dish of their beloved mohinga abroad.

occasions like a funeral. So, how about the taste? It is sweet, spicy and salty but not too strong. The secret to the perfect bowl of mohinga is to get all the flavours in harmony.

Connoisseurs also add a mixture of crispy fried gourd or bean, banana stem, fish balls, boiled eggs, coriander and lime juice.

The name refers to a kind of fried bean that is put into the mohinga and the wonderful crispy texture complements the salty soup.

But, while there are now more than 200 Shan noodle shops spread around the city, nearly always busy with customers, about a decade ago there were only a handful of shops and all were located in the

2 Mohinga Mohinga (thick spicy fish soup with vermicelli) is the most in-demand breakfast in Myanmar. It s not uncommon for people to say, If you are a real Myanmar person, you cannot survive for a long time without eating mohinga. Some people even say they will never leave the country because they worry they can t find a dish of their beloved mohinga abroad. This is not exactly a joke: Mohinga plays a major role in the life of Myanmar people and is served as a special meal both at happy occasions, like a welcoming ceremony for a newborn baby, and sad occasions like a funeral. So, how about the taste? It is sweet, spicy and salty but not too strong. The secret to the perfect bowl of mohinga is to get all the flavours in harmony. The thick yellow-coloured soup is made from fresh fish, rice powder, bean and a mixture of chilli powder, garlic and ginger. Connoisseurs also add a mixture of crispy fried gourd or bean, banana stem, fish balls, boiled eggs, coriander and lime juice. Zakargyi Mohinga Shop opened in the busy Hledan area of Kamaryut township more than 10 years ago. The name refers to a kind of fried bean that is put into the mohinga and the wonderful crispy texture complements the salty soup. Zakargyi Hledan Road (near Hledan Market, west side of Insein Road), Kamaryut township Shan noodles If mohinga is the most popular dish in Yangon, Shan noodles would have to be in close second place. But, while there are now more than 200 Shan noodle shops spread around the city, nearly always busy with customers, about a decade ago there were only a handful of shops and all were located in the Chinatown district. So how did Shan noodles shake up Yangon dining? Naturally, through ethnic Shan who migrated from their home to the city, bringing with them their favourite dish. There are two types of Shan noodles from southern Shan State and northern Shan State and the former is probably the more popular among Yangonites. The best place to eat is at a roadside shop, where the noodles are prepared right in front of you. A cook takes a handful of flat rice noodles, puts them into a strainer and dunks them for about five minutes in a pot of boiling water. The rice noodles are then mixed with soy sauce, dried fermented soya been paste, cooked chicken or pork and dried peanut powder. Less soy sauce is used when making northern Shan Statestyle noodles and a popular example can be found at Nan Htike on Bogyoke Aung San Road. Nan Htike No 145, Bogyoke Aung San Road, between 46 th and 47 th streets, Botahtaung township Tel: (01) , Air Mandalay - The Golden Flight

Panthay noodles Kway teow soup Despite being a Chinese dish, kway teow soup was most commonly found in Yangon at up-market Thai restaurants.

Rice noodles, watercress, bean sprouts and slices of chicken or pork are mixed together with soup and garnished together with garlic, pepper, sugar and coriander leaves.

It is also popular for its lively night time atmosphere.

The Panthay, however, are Chinese Muslims who migrated to Myanmar after the 19 th century following persecution at the hands of Qing-dynasty rulers.

distinctive food with them. The food at Cherry Mann on Latha Road is seemingly Indian in style, but the curries are much drier than most of their subcontinent counterparts.

Cherry Mann No 78-80, Latha Street, Latha township Tel: (01) 374-891 Barbecue Chinese-style barbecue has become a fixture of streetside dining in Yangon, with small barbecue stalls set up all over

3 Panthay noodles Kway teow soup Despite being a Chinese dish, kway teow soup was most commonly found in Yangon at up-market Thai restaurants. However, in recent years it has also migrated to the streets and has become a popular and cheap snack food throughout the city. Rice noodles, watercress, bean sprouts and slices of chicken or pork are mixed together with soup and garnished together with garlic, pepper, sugar and coriander leaves. Cham Myay Aung, on Yankin Road, not far from Yankin Centre, serves not only kway teow soup but also a wide range of Thai curries at a very reasonable price. It is also popular for its lively night time atmosphere. Cham Myay Aung No 15-16, Yankin Street, Yankin township Tel: (01) Yangon s thriving Muslim community is predominantly of South Asian descent. The Panthay, however, are Chinese Muslims who migrated to Myanmar after the 19 th century following persecution at the hands of Qing-dynasty rulers. Originally famous for dominating the caravan trade in Shan State and neighbouring Yunnan Province, the Panthay also established communities in Mandalay and Yangon and, naturally, brought their distinctive food with them. The food at Cherry Mann on Latha Road is seemingly Indian in style, but the curries are much drier than most of their subcontinent counterparts. The chicken and mutton are deliciously soft and can be eaten with either bread or rice. Panthaystyle noodles are extremely rich, and one dish will be more than enough. Cherry Mann No 78-80, Latha Street, Latha township Tel: (01) Barbecue Chinese-style barbecue has become a fixture of streetside dining in Yangon, with small barbecue stalls set up all over the downtown area. Nineteenth Street in Chinatown is perhaps the focal point for this kind of cuisine, but in recent years a number of slightly more upmarket shops have appeared. The largest of these, Shwe Li, now has about half-adozen branches, but it s Yunan on Kabar Aye Pagoda Road that is often considered the top of the pile. Essentially, barbecue has three crucial ingredients a wide selection of top-quality meat and seafood, tasty dipping sauce and cold beer and Yunan ticks all three boxes. The array of options also includes tasty malar hin a huge plate of odd vegetables in a spicy Indianstyle curry. Throw in a lively, alcohol-soaked atmosphere and football on the numerous televisions and you ve got yourself an excellent start to a Saturday night. Yunan No 48A, corner Kan Yeiktha Street and Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Mayangone township Tel: (01) Air Mandalay - The Golden Flight 43 41

Rakhine mont tee Rakhine mont tee (hot and clear fish soup) is often recommended to people who lack appetite after an illness, because it is seriously spicy and will put a sweat on any brow.

finished. However, this is not the reason for its popularity: the main point is it tastes really good. The ingredients in the fish soup are fish, fish paste, garlic, pepper and salmon gingerlily.

In Yangon there are now Rakhine mont tee shops on many street corners, particularly on busy roads.

4 Rakhine mont tee Rakhine mont tee (hot and clear fish soup) is often recommended to people who lack appetite after an illness, because it is seriously spicy and will put a sweat on any brow. The chin, ngan, sat (sour, salty and spicy) flavour of this dish from Rakhine State leaves a clean taste in the mouth and is guaranteed to have you wanting something more substantial when you ve finished. However, this is not the reason for its popularity: the main point is it tastes really good. The ingredients in the fish soup are fish, fish paste, garlic, pepper and salmon gingerlily. The soup is eaten with vermicelli, green chilli paste, tamarind sauce, fried sliced onion and coriander leaves. In Yangon there are now Rakhine mont tee shops on many street corners, particularly on busy roads. If you can find an empty stool these shops are fiendishly busy then sit down, because eating in is much better than take away. But if you re looking for somewhere with a more quiet and refined atmosphere, Minn Lann Rakhine Moh Ti on Min Street in Yankin township is known both for its mont tee and deliciously fresh seafood. If you love spicy food, don t hesitate to ask the cook to add more chilli paste but at your own risk! Min Lann Rakhine Moh Ti No 1, Min Lan, Bahan Township Tel: (01) Let pet thoke Let pet thoke (pickled tea leaf salad) is a popular snack or after-dinner palate cleanser that is made by the teagrowing Palaung people of northern Shan State. Along with betel nut and green tea, let pet thoke is usually kept in every house to offer to guests but it also makes the perfect snack for a leisurely afternoon teashop stop. As well as the pickled tea leaf, the salad usually features lentils, nuts, sesame seeds, dried prawns, tomato, chilli and a healthy drizzling of oil. The pleasantly located Bedauk Yay, which literally means in the shade of the bedauk (gumkino) tree, is popular with young couples and groups of friends and is also well-known for its deliciously fresh fruit juices. Bedauk Yay Corner of Bogyoke Aung San Road and Bo Myat Tun Street, Botahtaung township 44 Air Mandalay - The Golden Flight

5 Air Mandalay - The Golden Flight 45

Coconut broth noodles By Ma Thanegi

Myanmar Recipe: Ohno kaukswe Coconut broth noodles By Ma Thanegi Ingredients: 4 servings of thin egg noodles 500 gm chicken, skinned and cut into 2cm cubes 1 teaspoon fish sauce ¼ cup oil ¼ teaspoon turmeric