20 Scrumptious Burmese Foods: Take a Bite of Burma (Myanmar)!

By Mark Wiens 152 Comments

I was full the entire time I was in Yangon, Burma (Myanmar), and though I attempted, unfortunately I wasn’t able to eat everything the city had to offer. Just like the Bangkok street food, Yangon is yet another example of a SE Asian city where food is a top priority and street food is out of control!

1. Mohinga

At the forefront of Burmese cuisine is the famous dish of mohinga, a bowl of rice noodles covered in a fish based soup and sprinkled with deep fried fritters. Mohinga is a breakfast of champions!

2. Burmese Biryani

When I caught a glimpse of a restaurant called “Ambrosia Biryani,” there was absolutely no way I was going to get myself to walk past without sampling. Unfortunately the the biryani was a bit cold, having the appearance of yesterday’s ambrosia, but it was still tasty!

3. Burmese Naan Flat-bread and Pe Byouk

The bread is a form of Burmese Indian style naan, pulled straight out of a clay pot cooking device. Pe Byouk is what I believe to be a form of boiled peas. The vendor normally bagged the beans and added a torn up naan on top – to go. Since I ate on spot, I requested the burrito version of this hearty protein rich morning snack.

Burmese Peas and Naan — Paratha and Pe Byouk

4. Rice and Burmese Curry

Rice and a few accompanying curries and vegetables is a common meal of Burmese cuisine. The curries are mildly flavored, but they are pleasing and go extremely well with a plate (or 5) of rice.

5. Beans, Onions, Pumpkin

Beans, onions, and tomatoes dressed in oil and salt (left), mild pumpkin curry (right)

6. Burmese Fish Curry

A greasy, but unbelievable curry medley of fish.

7. Garnish Salads

Vegetables with a fermented fish sauce (left) and chili flake sauce (right).

8. Form of Khaosay Thote

A form of noodles hand mixed with a flavorful chili sauce and eaten with cloves of garlic and chilies (left), Fresh Burmese spring rolls (right)

9. Deep Fried Stuffed Tofu

Deep fried and stuffed with some cabbage, chilies and a special sauce made this tofu roll a single bite wonder!

10. Sticky Rice With Shredded Coconut

I’ll admit, I was extremely excited my first day in Yangon, Burma, and I had no idea what I was ordering. I saw some sticky rice and jumped at the opportunity to order it. This is what I got, and though I had no idea what I was supposed to mix and match, just like everything else it was delicious.

Sticky Rice Burma — Sticky Rice, Yangon, Burma

11. Selection of Mouthwatering Burmese Salads

(Clockwise from top-left corner)

Laphet Thohk – pickled tea leaf salad
Lemon Salad – entirely made from red onions and lemon pulp
Gyin Thohk – pickled ginger mixed salad
Tofu Thohk – Tofu salad
Another Lemon Pulp Salad
Tomato and Cabbage Salad

12. Laphet Thohk – Green Tea Salad

It’s a famed dish, a salad made from pickled tea leaves. Apparently Burma is one of only a few countries in the world that drinks and eats tea leaves. The texture of the salad was unique, a adoring combination of soft, crunchy, crispy, and saucy. I could eat this salad constantly for days.

13. Burmese Indian Thali Mixed Platter

There’s not a lot in this world that is as enticing to me as an all-you-can eat meal. Thali is an Indian mixed dish cuisine that is served on a metal platter. Rice is scooped out of buckets and the food party doesn’t stop until the customer is fully satisfied!

14. Goat Testicles

Along with a Thali, there’s an opportunity to order a number of accompanying curries and sides. We got a duo-pari of goat testicles, and though the flavor was quite appetizing, their mushiness was reminiscent of chunks of pure lard.

15. Burmese Indian Dosa

I’ve been a huge fan of dosas for many years of my life, so when I scoped this street side dosa stand, there was no hesitation. The dosa was made on an iron skillet over fiery flames emitted by the burning of dry wood. The curry was smooth and the pancake did an excellent job of sopping up everything till the final drip.

16. Grilled Fish in Chinatown, Yangon

This grilled fish left me speechless, stunned, and overjoyed. It was so lip-licking delicious that I dreamed about it at night and my body was willingly forced to dine here 3 nights in a row!

Grilled Fish Myanmar — Unbelievable Grilled Fish in Chinatown, Yangon, Burma

17. Vegetables in Chinatown

Skewers of grilled garlic and okra (left) a plate of stir fried pumpkin leaves (right)

Yangon Vegetables — Vegetables – Burmese Cuisine

18. Mala Hin

Glorious vegetables in a spicy bean paste

Stir Fried Vegetables Mix, Burma — Stir Fried Vegetables Mix, Yangon, Burma

19. Stuffed Pork Skewer

Marinated pork stuffed with straw mushrooms and green peppers

20. Burmese Falooda

The Burmese version of the falooda is sweet and stunning (similar to the Indian version)!

I’m nowhere near a Burmese food expert, but I can safely say that I enjoyed everything I ate in Yangon!

Have you sampled any Burmese foods? Any Burmese foodies out there?

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