Anastasia Smith
Just north of the former capital, Yangon, Naypyidaw, Myanmar’s modern capital city, blessed with contemporary charm, is not without the nation’s traditional Southeast Asian flavours. Indulge in an assortment of delectable local classics and treat yourself to a taste of quintessential Naypyidaw.
A traditional Burmese breakfast to start off your morning in beautiful Burma, Mohinga is a favoured breakfast choice by many, although the dish’s wide popularity has the fish and rice noodle soup evolved into an all-day meal. Strolling the atmospheric streets of Naypyidaw, the sights and smells of freshly cooked Mohinga at street hawkers and roadside stalls are virtually unmissable. The unofficial national dish of Myanmar is also the possessor of an illustrious history as incredible as its mouth-watering relish, which, based on certain accounts, dates as far back as the first century. While a fish and rice noodle soup in its basic form, numerous regional varieties of the dish also have emerged over the years.
Hard-boiled eggs, potato sticks, fried garlic, leeks, and spring onions — all mixed with noodles in a coconut-milk-based curry — the one-pot dish of Khow Suey is one scrumptious and wholehearted dish of Burmese cuisine that’s sure to leave you with a tummy full and well pleased. The delightfully aromatic dish is one of Myanmar’s many noodle soup dishes and certainly one that is downright breathtaking. While Khow Suey is best known as a single-dish meal, the traditional serving also complements the dish with a variety of contrasting condiments.
The combination of vermicelli noodles, eggs and meatballs in a broth of chicken, fish or pork makes for one of the most flavoursome dishes of Burmese cuisine. While Kyay Oh isn’t a typical homemade dish, it could be found being served at many restaurants in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, including the likes offered by hotels and resorts such as PARKROYAL Nay Pyi Taw.
A traditional Burmese dessert to top off your traditional Burmese meal, Paung Din is a dish of its own kind in every way, from its sweet and sticky relish to its natural bamboo form. A treat for the eyes as it is for the taste buds, natural bamboo tubes contain the dessert, inside of which the red or white-hued sweet sticky rice is steamed before it’s ready for consumption. While it certainly is a delectable dish to be had in the Southeast Asian nation, it also adds to your authentic Myanmar experiences, treating you to a truly unique exploration of Burmese cuisine. The Burmese, however, aren’t the only ones with their hearts (and taste buds) set on Paung Din; neighbouring Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos are also proud to have the dish as part of their cuisine.
Those who have had a taste of Indian cuisine would immediately recognise Dan Bauk’s similarity with India’s classic Biryani, for the Burmese rice dish is heavily inspired by Indian Biryani. Nevertheless, the addition of vegetables such as peas, beans, and carrots adds a wonderful Burmese twist to the world-renowned Indian classic.
