Serves 4

• 4-5 free range eggs
• 4-5 cloves garlic, sliced, pounded or chopped
• 2 small onions, sliced
• 1 inch ginger, grated or pounded
• 1-2 T oil or butter or both
• 1 t turmeric
• 1 t chili powder
• 3-4 T sesame seeds, ground
• 1/2 bunch coriander, roughly chopped
• salt to taste

Method:
Saute the onions and turmeric in the oil and butter until they are golden. Add the chili powder, garlic and ginger. Saute briefly then push to one side and add the eggs. Add the salt and pepper.

Lightly steamed homegrown green beans are delicious with cream cheese and balachaung

Serves 2-4

• 500g (1 lb) green beans
• ¼ c homemade cream cheese
• ¼ c peanut balachaung
• ½ lime’s juice
• salt to taste

Method:
Blanch green beans and drain. While hot add the cream cheese and toss until it has melted and coated the beans. Add balachaung, lime juice and salt to taste.

Serves 4

• 1 c red lentils
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, sliced
• ½ t turmeric
• 1 T oil
• 4-5 c chicken broth or water
• salt or fish sauce to taste
• black pepper

Method:
Put ingredients in a pot and simmer until the lentils are very soft.

The Rakhine people of Western Myanmar love very hot spicy food and make this dip hotter than I can handle it. Therefore, although I say the chili’s are optional, it is no longer an Arakanese dip if the chilis are not added!

serves 4

• 5-6 Japanese eggplants
• ½ small white onion, sliced very thin and rinsed under cold water
• 1/4 c cold pressed peanut oil
• 2-3 hot green or red fresh chilis (optional)

This is a signature hand tossed Burmese salad. Variations can be found all around Myanmar.

Burmese salads are always thrown together fresh, the last minute possible before being served. Quick fingers toss and blend the salad, adding the personal touch of the creator into the mixture.

Serves 4

• 4-5 tomatoes, de-seeded and sliced
• 1 T turmeric and garlic oil
• 1 small onion, sliced very thin and rinsed in cold water
• 1 T sesame seeds, toasted
• ½ c cabbage, shredded very finely
• 1 lime’s juice
• ½ c peanuts, chopped
• 1 bunch coriander (cilantro) roughly chopped
• salt or fish sauce to taste

In Myanmar this salad is usually made with star-beans* or snake-beans and is another of their famous hand-tossed salads.

Serves 4

• 500g (1lb) star beans or green beans
• 1 small onion, sliced very thin and rinsed under cold water
• 1 T sesame seeds, toasted
• 1 T garlic and turmeric oil
• 1 lime’s juice
• ½ c peanuts, chopped
• salt or fish sauce to taste
• 1 or 2 hot green chilis, sliced (optional)

Method:
Blanch green beans and cut into about 1 inch lengths. Toss the ingredients together with your hands at the last minute before you serve to your guests. In some areas of Myanmar it is said that the Chef’s hands themselves add the secret ingredient to these famous hand tossed salads.

Chicken broth is a practical and affordable addition to any diet. Broths and stocks provide powerful nourishment.

Organic chicken legs are generally a reasonable price and sometimes even cheaper than buying the whole chicken. You can leave the skin on if you like. I like to fry the chicken skins up for a tasty snack. Use the rendered chicken fat to fry with.

Organic chicken fat was traditionally considered to be very healing. This recipe is also good because you can use the poached chicken meat to make Myanmar Chicken Salad, and other recipes.

This dish is known in Myanmar as Bachelor’s Chicken Curry. Traditionally young men would steal the chicken and other ingredients if hunger overtook them while out on a romp. In their haste to cook the meal over an impromptu fire, garlic cloves were pounded and thrown in, skin and all.

On occasion certain young men might have been known to add a bit of marijuana* to the simmering mix, resulting in great amusement and laughter from all who consumed this addicting combination of flavors.

Serves 4

• 1 inch ginger, pounded
• 6 cloves garlic, pounded
• 1 medium onion, sliced and pounded
• 4-5 medium tomatoes, seeded and sliced thin
• 1 T oil or more as necessary
• ½ t turmeric
• 1 t chili powder (or more to taste)
• 2 medium potatoes, medium dice
• 2-3 chicken legs, deboned and medium dice
• salt or fish sauce to taste

Serves 4

• 1inch ginger, pounded
• 6 cloves garlic, pounded
• 1 medium onion, sliced and pounded
• 3 tomatoes, pureed
• 1T oil or more if necessary
• ½ t turmeric
• 1t chili powder (or more to taste)
• 12-16 large prawns
• salt or fish sauce to taste

Method:
Prepare the curry gravy by pounding the ginger, garlic and onions in a mortar and pestle. This can also be done in a food processor.

This recipe will make about two weeks worth of balachaung for about 4 people, using it as a condiment. Usually I make this if I know I am going to be too busy to cook the next coming weeks, or if I am broke. This way I can simply cook up some rice and have a simple nutritious meal with rice and balachaung and maybe some steamed veggies or an avocado for good measure. This is actually the vegetarian version of a condiment that is served at nearly every meal in Myanmar (Burma). Usually balachaung contains powdered dried shrimp.

Recipe:
2 whole bulbs of garlic, thinly sliced. More or less can be used according to taste. Enough oil to fry the garlic and a ½ teaspoon of turmeric.

Fry the garlic in oil to crispy, be careful not to burn it. Take it out of the oil a little before you think it is golden enough as it will continue cooking once out of the oil for a little while.