EATING IN MYANMAR (BURMA)EAT YOUR WORDS335more common. The entire meal is served at once, rather than in courses.
In basic Burmese restaurants, each individual diner in a group typically
orders a small plate of curry for himself or herself, while side dishes are
shared among the whole party. This contrasts with China and Thailand,
for example, where every dish is usually shared.
Traditionally, Burmese food is eaten with the fi ngers, much like in In-
dia, usually with the right hand (but using the left doesn’t seem to be
taboo as it is in India). Nowadays, it’s also common for urban Myanmar
people to eat with a k’ăyìn (((or hkayin; fork) and zùnn (tablespoon). These
are always available at Burmese restaurants and are almost always given
to foreign diners.
If you eat at a private home, it’s not unusual for the hostess and chil-
dren to not join you at the table.
Eat Your Words
For some general Burmesephrases and pronunciation guidelines, see the
Language chapter.
Food Glossary
Typical Burmese Dishes
ǎmèh·hnaq amENHp' beef in gravy
ceq·thà·ǎc’o·jeq äkk'o;"axY¬ixYk'
H
sweet chickenceq·thà·gin äää k's;"k=' grilled chicken (satay)
ceq·thà·jaw jeq äääkk'o;"eäk;'xYk'' fried chicken
hìn h=''" curry
ǎmèh-dhà-hìn amEo;"h='" beef curry
ceq-thà-hìn äkk'o;"h='" chicken curry
ǎthì·ǎyweq·hìn/ aoI"arâk'h='"Á vegetable curry
thì·zoun·hìn-jo oI"cu®h='"xY¬I
hìn·jo h='"xY¬i soup (clear or mild)
s’an·hlaw·hìn·jo zn'elH;'h='"xY¬i sizzling rice soup
s’éh·hnǎmyò·hìn·jo zy'¾NHc'mY¬i"h='"xY¬i ‘12-taste’ soup
móun·di mun'¾tI mount-ti (Mandalay
noodles and chicken/
fi sh)
móun·hìn·gà mun'¾h='"x:" mohinga (noodles and
chicken/fi sh)
móun·s’i·jaw mun'¾zIeäk;' sweet fried-rice pancakes
móun·zàn mun'¾zn'" sticky rice cake with
jaggery (palm sugar)
myì shay ̈mI"rH–' Shan-style noodle soup
ngà·dhouq =:"oup' fi sh salad
ngà·baùn·(douq) =:"ep:='"(qup') steamed fi sh (in banana
leaves)
t’ămìn qm='" rice
kauq·hnyìn·baùn ek;k'Mî='"ep:='" steamed sticky rice
oùn·t’ămìn aun'"qm='" coconut rice
t’ ǎmìn-gyaw qm='"eäk;'
u
fried rice
t’ǎdhì·móun qn'"sI"mun'¾ toddy-palm sugar cake
weq·thǎni 0k'snI red pork
Meat & Seafood
ǎmèh·dhà amEo;" beef
ceq·thà äkk'o;" chicken
Until 2008’s
Cyclone Nargis
devastated much
of the rice crop in
the Delta region,
Myanmar was
the world’s sixth
largest producer
of rice.RICE
For short videos
on various Bur-
mese food-
related topics,
from cooking
Burmese dishes
to eating in
Myanmar, search
for ‘meemalee’s
kitchen’ on
YouTube.