When you travel to a country, you will definitely not only visit the unique, unusual and famous places of this country but also try to eat the traditional cuisine, snacks and drinks. Well, I have heard that some foreigners travel around the world to taste the regional food of its country. There is no doubt that traditional food can prove the customs and traditions of a country. The main food of Myanmar is rice so that most of the local snacks are made from rice and glutinous rice. Some of these are traditionally aromatic and lightly-prepared food. Burmese people used to cook snacks with a delicate balance of spices and seasoning by stir-frying, streaming, or boiling. I would like to mention unpopular but delicious Burmese snacks that you should try when you explore Myanmar.
- Darby-and-Joan Myanmar mini pancakes (Mont-lin-ma-yar). Mont-lin-ma-yar is a popular snack sold at the food stalls of pagoda festivals and it is famous street snack with a unusual name. Literally, the word means husband-and-wife pancakes. The main ingredient of it is rice. It is made from rice batter in the form of two small hemispheres, each facing the other forming a romantic couple. It is eaten with roasted sesame powder with salt and boiled green peas. Some people add coconut milk in batter and some prepare mini pancakes with a quail egg in each hemisphere. Mont-lin-mayar is not costly and it is really nutritious.
- Myanmar Pancake (Bein-mont). Bein-mont serves with either tea or coffee and it is a very common breakfast which enjoys by people from rural and urban areas in Myanmar. Myanmar pancake is made from rice flour, palm sugar, eggs, coconuts chips, peanuts, garnished with poppy seeds. Some Bein-mont bakers use butter instead of oil to make it more delicious.
- Mont Bine Taunt. I grew up eating Mont Bine Taunt and it is my childhood favourite snack. It is one of the easiest home-made snacks in Myanmar but most of the households in Myanmar rarely make it at home. The ingredients are rice flour, oil, a piece of calcium,cow-pea,salt, roasted sesame powder and shredded coconut. Burmese usually eat this snack in the afternoon after they have lunch.
- Nan Gyi Thohk. City folks usually have it as breakfast with hot coffee. Nan gyi Thohk is the rice noodle salad and also known as the spaghetti of Myanmar. The dish is made up of rice noodle by mixing prepared chicken curry. People often add onions, well-boiled egg and lime or lemon. Though it is morning snack, people can have it anytime.
I believe that one of the best ways to embrace another culture is trying traditional food. Local food is delicious, affordable, inexpensive as well as nutritious. If you visit Myanmar, don’t miss a chance to try the traditional food I mentioned earlier. Believe me, it will be worth it.
Author: Thoon Nadi Lynn | Student of International Undergraduate Program-2020
