I recently had a wonderful interaction with a Burmese food lover over a photo I had posted on facebook of the famous Burmese Mont Lin Ma Yar. These delicious street corner snacks are a real treat, I wish I could get them on the corner downtown Vancouver, BC! She kindly translated the recipe for me from her favorite Burmese recipe site and so I am posting it here for future reference:

From the Myanmar Cupid Cookbook by Pyo Pyo May Translated by Naomi Aung. Amounts are variable, test it out to see how thick you need the mixture.

Read more ...

I was very excited to get a message from a friend in London who was taking her man out for his birthday dinner to Mandalay, which is a very good Burmese restaurant in London, one of the few Burmese restaurants outside of Myanmar in the world. There is also a very good one in San Francisco and a couple in New York, if anyone else knows of any others, please let me know!

Burmese food is really it’s own thing and I highly recommend trying it out if you get a chance. Kat’s message follows:

I just got back from the restaurant and the food was fantastic! I had that coconut chicken noodle soup (Kaukswe) that you recommended and it was divine! It reminded me a bit of Penang Laksa only better ‘cus they use chicken breast which I prefer! So no bones or funny offal stuff that you sometimes get in noodle dishes. I had battered veg for starters a bit like tempura and some lovely chicken samosas. For dessert I had a tapioca pudding in coconut milk (a bit like Gula Melaka) and Jake had a lovely semolina cake (pictured above).

Read more ...

One of my favorite places to get this cake in Yangon is at at little hole-in-the-wall fresh coffee shop on Sule Pagoda Road. In Burmese this cake is called San Win Ma Kin.

• 1/2 c semolina (substitute cream of wheat)
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 c coconut cream
• 1 c warm water
• 3 eggs (beaten)
• 1/4 t salt
• 2 T clarified butter (ghee)
• 2 T raisins
• 2 T poppy seeds

Method: Toast semolina until golden, mix in sugar and water. Let stand 30 minutes. Beat eggs and add to mixture.

Heat clarified butter in a large pan add semolina mixture and cook stirring constantly until thick. Add the raisins, coconut cream and salt and 1 T poppy seeds, keep stirring for about 5 minutes and the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.

Put into cake pan smooth and brush with butter and sprinkle with remaining poppy seeds. Bake at 180 degrees F for 15 minutes until top is golden. Add caramelized coconut as a topping.

Read more ...

I was taught this recipe by Bo Htein, who was taught how to cook by his paralyzed mother when he was a kid growing up in Myanmar.

serves 4

• 1/2 c yogurt
• 1/4 c honey
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 chicken legs
• salt and pepper

Method: Mix together the yogurt, honey, garlic and chicken. Allow to marinate overnight. Bake or grill, sprinkling with salt and pepper as they cook.

Read more ...

This sophisticated peanut chutney is a signature Burmese dish. Not only is it affordable and addictive but it is also nutritious and keeps well. Make up a batch and add it to your salads, mix it into freshly blanched vegetables or just eat it as a snack. I learned this recipe during the Buddhist lent period when people often become vegetarians for a couple months. Balachaung is normally made with dried shrimp.

Ingredients: onions, garlic, oil, turmeric, chili powder, ginger, peanuts, fish sauce or salt. Full Recipe.

Read more ...