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Burmese Recipes

14 recipes

Myanmar's cooking sits between India, China and Thailand and borrows from all three, yet it tastes distinct. Rice is the center of every meal, eaten with a curry, a soup, a dip and fresh or boiled vegetables. Flavor comes from fish sauce, dried shrimp, ngapi (fermented fish or shrimp paste), garlic, onion, ginger and turmeric, and curries are cooked in plenty of oil that carries the spices. Noodle dishes are everywhere: mohinga for breakfast, coconut chicken noodles and Shan noodles. Salads called thoke are a specialty, made from fermented tea leaves, rice noodles, ginger, tomatoes or even pieces of samosa, and mixed by hand with crunchy beans, nuts, garlic oil and lime. Tea shops serve sweet milk tea and fried snacks all day. Desserts rely on coconut milk, jaggery, glutinous rice and sago, and the Thingyan water festival in April brings its own sweets.

Staple ingredients

Soups

Salads

Main Dishes

Desserts

Snacks

Drinks

Sauces, Dips and Condiments

Common questions

What is Burmese food known for?

Mohinga fish noodle soup, tea leaf salad (lahpet thoke), coconut chicken noodles and rich, oily curries eaten with rice. Hand-mixed salads are a signature of the cuisine.

What is the national dish of Myanmar?

Mohinga, a rice noodle soup in a fish broth with lemongrass and banana stem, is widely called the national dish. People eat it for breakfast at street stalls and at home.

Is Burmese food spicy?

Usually milder than Thai food. Curries are savory and rich rather than hot, and chili comes on the side as fresh slices, dips or flakes so each person controls the heat.