Myanmar

Mohana Gill

Description

From the quiet simplicity of Myanmar's rural towns to the bustle of modern day Yangon, this book captures the sights, sounds and flavours of a country that has until recent years, been isolated from the rest of the world.Best described as a mix of Chinese and Indian cuisines with a dose of Thai influence, Burmese cuisine is simple in its execution, yet delivers a complexity of tastes with the use of fish sauce, prawn paste, turmeric, tamarind, lemon grass, coriander, chillies and coconut milk. Go off the beaten track and discover the heart of Myanmar through her cuisine, culture and customs.

Sujets

• Burma
• Cooking

Informations

• Publié par: Marshall Cavendish International
• Date de parution: 10 décembre 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9789814561716
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 4 Mo

Extrait

Myanmar
Cuisine, Culture Customs

Myanmar
Cuisine, Culture Customs
Mohana Gill
Editor: Lydia Leong
Designer: Bernard Go Kwang Meng
All photographs by Aung Kyaw Moe of New Image Professional Photography except for pages 12-15 , 74-75 by Bernard Go Kwang Meng
Copyright 2014 Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited Published by Marshall Cavendish Cuisine
An imprint of Marshall Cavendish International
All rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Request for permission should be addressed to the Publisher, Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited, 1 New Industrial Road, Singapore 536196. Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail] Online bookstore: http://www.marshallcavendish.com
Limits of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The Author and Publisher of this book have used their best efforts in preparing this book. The Publisher makes no representation or warranties with respect to the contents of this book and is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe in this book. While the Publisher has reviewed each recipe carefully, the reader may not always achieve the results desired due to variations in ingredients, cooking temperatures and individual cooking abilities. The Publisher shall in no event be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

Other Marshall Cavendish Offices:
Marshall Cavendish Corporation. 99 White Plains Road, Tarrytown NY 10591-9001, USA Marshall Cavendish International (Thailand) Co Ltd. 253 Asoke, 12th Floor, Sukhumvit 21 Road, Klongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand Marshall Cavendish (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Times Subang, Lot 46, Subang Hi-Tech Industrial Park, Batu Tiga, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
Marshall Cavendish is a trademark of Times Publishing Limited
National Library Board, Singapore Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
Gill, Mohana.
Myanmar: cuisine, culture customs / Mohana Gill. - Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Cuisine, 2013.
pages cm
ISBN: 978-981-4516-16-7 (paperback) eISBN: 978 981 4561 71 6
Cooking, Burmese. 2. Burma-Civilization. 3. Burma-Social life and customs. I. Title.
TX724.5.B93
641.59591 - dc23 OCN7862057394
Printed in Malaysia by Times Offset (M) Sdn Bhd
Dedication

For my mum and siblings, Geeta, Veena, Raj and Mohan.
My mother s best advice to me was: Whatever you decide to do in life, be sure that the joy of doing it does not depend upon the applause of others, because in the long run we are, all of us, alone.
Ali MacGraw

Contents

Acknowledgements 8
Foreword 10
Introduction 13
Myanmar at a Glance 14 Pathein (Bassein) 20 Pyin U Lwin (Maymyo) 26 Mawlamyine (Moulmein) 34 Bagan (Pagan) 44 Inle Lake 52 Yangon (Rangoon) 60 Naypyitaw (Kyetpyay) 70
Food of Myanmar 74 Soups 76 Salads 94 Vegetables 120 Fish Seafood 140 Rice Noodles 154 Sweets Desserts 176 Snacks Finger Food 194 Relishes Dips 202 Basic Recipes 212
Glossary 216
Weights Measures 226
About the Author 228
Acknowledgements

Like the wind crying endlessly through the universe, time carries away the names and the deeds of conquerors and commoners alike. And all that we are, all that remains, is in the memories of those who cared we came this way for a brief moment .
Harlan Ellison
Writing this book can best be described as a journey. I visited many places, met new people and renewed old friendships. It has been a happy and exciting journey, with many contributing to the lovely experience. Without their help, this book would not be possible.
The most important person that I have to say thanks to is my husband, Satwant, my best friend. He has always given me his unconditional support and this time, my journey was so much more enjoyable because he travelled with me. I was able to show him Myanmar, the Myanmar that I grew up in. We had a great time and this was because of the warm hospitality and generosity of the people in Myanmar. Special thanks also to Anil for editing my drafts and to Rakesh who was there to point out when things were not right. Thanks, guys.
In Yangon, my friend Nilar, was instrumental in making all our travel arrangements. Her cheerfulness and energy are unmatched, and there is nothing Nilar cannot do, from booking our transport, to organising our meals. In the mornings, she would call and brief me on the lineup for the day, and at night, she would call to make sure that I was all right. I cannot thank her enough for her affection and for going the extra mile to make sure that everything was perfect.
This book would also not have been possible without the generosity of my dear friend, Rosebud. She opened her heart and her house to me, and made it possible for us to do the photo shoot at her place. Rosebud is one of those rare gems that I have been lucky enough to find. She is soft-spoken and was always mindful of the things that I needed. Thanks also to all in Rosebud s household. Firstly, Esther Khin Htwe Yee who ensured that all the right ingredients were available for the shoot. She is a real estate agent, but despite her busy schedule, found time to organise things for me. Secondly, her helpers, Naw Kuu Ma, a wonderful cook, and Naw Cherry Phaw and Nant Zin Zin Oo, who helped

ensure everything else was in order. Thanks also to Zin Zin for the thanakha that she made for me every night.
Aung Kyaw Moe was introduced to me by a good friend and when I first saw him, I knew that we would work well together. He is not only a skilled photographer, but also one with lots of patience, taking all our comments and request for reshoots in his stride. He travelled with us and despite the rain, tried to take as many photographs as he could. Thanks also to Aung Kyaw Moe s three helpers who were not only very good at what they did, but were always cheerful.
Then came Bernard, the man from Marshall Cavendish International (Asia). He was considerate, conscientious and thorough. He worked well with Aung Kyaw Moe, providing the art direction for the shoot. I enjoyed working with him and was happy to see him enjoying the food. Thank you Bernard.
My appreciation also goes to U Thaw Kaung who agreed to write the foreword for this book. Knowing how busy you are, I am grateful that you did this for me. To my friend, Ma Thanegi, thank you for writing the account on me. To Dr Thant, CEO of Myanmar Book Centre, thank you for sharing your thoughts on this book and for introducing me to Aung Kyaw Moe. To my dear friend in Chicago, Art Smith, thank you for always being supportive and encouraging. To my friend in Australia, Anjali, thank you for your help and suggestions.
Last but not least, the rest of the team from Marshall Cavendish International (Asia): Lydia, for your patience and guidance in putting this book together, and all who supported the publication of this book.
It has been a long but happy journey and I have had great pleasure meeting and working with each of you. To all those we met on our travels through Myanmar, I wish you a happy journey. Chei-zu tin-bar-te.
Finally, to my cat, Domee, who sat with me in my office every night while I was working. Thank you for the company, Domee.
Foreword
Myanmar cuisine is not as well known in the world as Thai or Japanese cuisines and it is still well behind the cuisines of India and China, the two most populous nations on earth, which wedge Myanmar between their vast land masses. The people, the culture and of course the food of Myanmar have some similarities to those of India and China, but at the same time, there is a distinct uniqueness all her own.
Myanmar food with its special flavours needs to be better known. There are many cookbooks in Myanmar language as well as in English, and the book you are about to peruse is not a mere cookbook even though it has more than 70 recipes clearly written and illustrated with beautiful photographs. The book is much more; it is a personal, nostalgic journey back to Myanmar by the well-known writer Mohana Gill, who grew up in what was then Burma. She revisits the place where she was born in Pathein (formerly Bassein) on the Ayeyarwady Delta, to the former capital and still the commercial hub Yangon (formerly Rangoon), the new capital Naypyitaw and the cool hillside resort of Pyin U Lwin (formerly Maymyo), first developed by the British during the colonial period; this was her father s home town.
Mohana Gill has given us a good introduction to the people of Myanmar, with their friendly charm, hospitality and cheerful, tolerant nature. As a writer based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Mohana (known to us in Myanmar by her maiden name as Ms Rose Dutt), has already written and produced a number of beautifully illustrated books on vegetarian cuisine and on fruits and a healthy diet for children.
Now that our isolated country is opening up to the world, this book can be read with much pleasure and interest, not only by lovers of food, but visitors who want to know more about the Myanmar people and their culture. Mohana knows Myanmar intimately, being born and educated, and living over two decades in Myanmar from childhood.
I would like to recommend this book, Myanmar: Cuisine, Culture and Customs to all readers interested in our country. The book will provide useful information and hopefully an urge to try out some tasty Myanmar dishes, which are now becoming available not only in our country but also in big cities like London, New York, Bangkok, Singapore and Tokyo.
This is a lovely book for your bookshelf; also to give as a present to the rapidly growing number of visitors who are now coming to Myanmar. It is one of the best introductions to the people of Myanmar, their culture and natu