The following is a list of dishes found in Burmese cuisine. Burmese cuisine includes dishes from various regions of Burma (now officially known as Myanmar). The diversity of Myanmar's cuisine has also been contributed to by the myriad of local ethnic minorities. The Bamars are the most dominant group, but other groups including the Chin people also have distinct cuisines. Burmese cuisine is characterized by extensive use of fish products like fish sauce and ngapi (fermented seafood). Owing to the geographic location of Myanmar, Burmese cuisine has been influenced by Chinese cuisine, Indian cuisine and Thai cuisine.
Burmese salads
Burmese nameBurmese scriptImageOriginDescriptionBazun thoke Pickled prawn salad.Gyin thoke Ginger salad with sesame seeds and assorted fried beans.Khauk swè thoke Wheat noodle salad with dried shrimps, shredded cabbage and carrots, dressed with fried peanut oil, fish sauce and lime.Htamin thoke Rice salad with tomato puree, potato, glass noodle, toasted chickpea flour, crushed toasted dried fermented beancake, crushed dried shrimp, crushed dried chilli, garlic and dressed with cooked peanut oil, fish sauce, lime or tamarind and coriander.Let thoke sone Similar to htamin thoke with shredded green papaya, shredded carrot, ogonori sea moss and often wheat noodles.Nan gyi thoke Thick rice noodle salad with chickpea flour, chicken, fish cake (nga hpe), onions, coriander, spring onions, crushed dried chilli, dressed with fried crispy onion oil, fish sauce and lime.Nanbyagyi thoke As above with tagliatelle.Shauk thi thoke Sliced lemon or kaffir lime (no pith or rind), toasted chickpea flour, crushed roasted peanut, crushed dried shrimp, crushed dried chilli, baked fish paste, cooked oil with onions (often served with kya zan hinga).Samuza thokeIndian Samosa salad with onions, cabbage, fresh mint, potato curry, masala, chili powder, salt and lime.Lahpet thokeShan A salad of pickled tea leaves with fried peas, peanuts and garlic, toasted sesame, fresh garlic, tomato, green chili, crushed dried shrimps, preserved ginger and dressed with peanut oil, fish sauce and lime.Nga baung thokeMon Mixed vegetables and prawn, wrapped in morinda leaves and banana leaves outside.Kya zan thokeRakhine Glass vermicelli salad with boiled prawn julien and mashed curried duck eggs and potatoes.Thayet chin thoke Fermented green mango salad with onions, green chilli, roasted peanuts, sesame and peanut oil.Thinbaw thi thokeShan and Thai Papaya salad of shredded papaya, mixed with ground dried shrimp, onions, and fried garlic; tossed in garlic oil, lemon juice, and a little hot chili pepper.Tofu thokeShan Fresh yellow tofu, cut into small rectangular slices, dressed and garnished with peanut oil, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted crushed dried chilli, crushed garlic, crushed roasted peanuts, crisp-fried onions, and coriander.
Bamar-influenced
Burmese nameBurmese scriptImageOriginDescriptionMohinga The unofficial national dish of rice vermicelli in fish broth with onions, garlic, ginger, lemon grass and sliced tender core of banana-stem, served with boiled eggs, fried fish cake (nga hpe) and fritters (akyaw).Kat kyi kaikDawei, Myeik Lit. 'cut with scissors', a southern coastal dish (from the Dawei area) of rice noodles with a variety of seafood, land meats, raw bean sprouts, beans and fried eggs comparable to pad thai.Kya yoe hinga Lotus roots in clear chicken or fish broth.Kyar zan hinga Glass noodle soup with dried shrimp, wood-ear mushrooms, egg, dried flowers, onions.Ngapi jet Fermented spicy fish paste or salted fish curried with onions, tomatoes, garlic, chilli and coriander served with to za ya, vegetables fresh or boiled, on the side.Ngapi gyaw Fried version with dried shrimp, onions, garlic and dried chilli.Hsi htamin Glutinous rice cooked with turmeric and onions in peanut oil, and served with toasted sesame and crisp fried onions, a popular breakfast like kao hnyin baung and ngacheik paung.
Chinese-inspired
Burmese nameBurmese scriptImageOriginDescriptionChinese (from quetayong) Vermicelli noodles in soup with pork offal and greens.Chinese Roasted duck.Chinese Lit. leaf wrap, of meat, pastry paper, ginger, garlic, pepper powder, salt. Usually served with soup or with noodles.Chinese Fried rice with boiled peas (pè byouk).Sino-Burmese Noodles and curried duck (or pork) in broth with eggs.Chinese Very soft rice noodles, known as Mee suah in Singapore and Malaysia. It is a popular option for invalids, usually with chicken broth.Chinese Halal noodles with chicken and spices, often served by the Muslim Panthay Chinese.Chinese Steamed buns filled with either pork and egg or sweet bean paste.Chinese Rice congee with fish, chicken or duck often fed to invalids.Chinese Wheat noodles with duck or pork, fried garlic oil, soy sauce and chopped spring onions. It is considered an 'identity dish' of Myanmar and Burmese Chinese, as it is not available in other Chinese cuisines. Sarawak's Kolok mee is a bit similar.Chinese Pork offal cooked in light soy sauce. Eaten with raw ginger and chilli sauce.
Indian-inspired Burmese nameBurmese scriptImageOriginDescriptionChapatiIndian Fried chapati, crispy and blistered, with boiled peas (pè-byohk), a popular breakfast next to nan bya.DanbaukIndian Burmese-style biryani with either chicken or mutton served with mango pickle, fresh mint and green chili.Htat tayaIndian Lit. "a hundred layers", fried flaky multilayered paratha with either a sprinkle of sugar or pè byouk.Htawbat htaminIndian Literally "butter rice," rice made with butter and mostly eaten with chicken curry.Nan byaIndian Burmese style naan buttered or with pè byouk, also with mutton soup.PalataIndian Burmese style paratha with egg or mutton.SamusaIndian Burmese-style samosa with mutton and onions served with fresh mint, green chilli, onions and lime.Kyit SaraIndian Semolina chicken or meat paste, Chicken or meat is boiled or cooked and removed all the bones and skin. It is then mixed with Semolina and dhal and pulverised in a grinder, or in older recipes by stirring it in a big pot and pounding it using a big ladle. Once it turns into a thick paste it is sprinkled with cinnamon powder and deep-fried onion. Shai Mai or Sa WaiIndian Roasted Seviyan Kheer boiled in sweet milk, served with fried cashews, raisins and coconut shreds.Theezohn Chinyay HinIndian Adaptation of South Indian Sambar, lit. vegetable all- sorts sour broth, with drumstick, lady's finger, egg plant, green beans, potato, onions, ginger, dried chilli, boiled egg, dried salted fish, fish paste and tamarind.
Kachin-inspired English nameBurmese nameImageOriginDescriptionKachin-style chicken curryKachinKachin-style chicken curry is cooked with a variety of local herbs. The Kachin usually cook this dish without oil for health reasons.Kachin pounded beefKachinKachin pounded beef with herbs. The dish is unusual in that the beef is boiled, then fried, and then pounded in a mortar with spices, local mints, Sichuan pepper, chillies, garlic, and ginger.
Rakhine-inspired Burmese nameBurmese scriptImageOriginDescriptionMont diRakhine A popular and economical fast food dish where rice vermicelli are either eaten with some condiments and soup prepared from nga-pi, or as a salad with powdered fish and some condiments. The daggertooth pike conger, called nga-shwe in Arakanese and Burmese, is the fish of choice.Ngapi daungRakhine An extremely spicy condiment made from pounded ngapi and green chilli.Khayan thee nga chauk chetRakhine Brinjal cooked lightly with a small amount of oil, with dried fish and chilli.
Shan-inspired Burmese nameBurmese scriptImageOriginDescriptionShan khauk swèShan Rice noodles with chicken or minced pork, onions, garlic, tomatoes, chili, crushed roasted peanuts, young vine of mangetout, served with tohu jaw or tohu nway and pickled mustard greens (monnyinjin).Htamin jinShan A rice, tomato and potato or fish salad kneaded into round balls dressed and garnished with crisp fried onion in oil, tamarind sauce, coriander and spring onions often with garlic, Chinese chives roots (ju myit), fried whole dried chili, grilled dried fermented beancakes (pè bouk) and fried dried topu (topu jauk kyaw) on the side.Meeshay Shan.rice noodles with pork or chicken, bean sprouts, rice flour gel, rice flour fritters, dressed with soy sauce, salted soybean, rice vinegar, fried peanut oil, chilli oil, and garnished with crisp fried onions, crushed garlic, coriander, and pickled white radish OR mustard greensShan tohuShan A type of tofu made from chickpea flour or yellow split pea eaten as fritters (tohpu jaw) or in a salad (tohpu thohk), also eaten hot before it sets as tohu byawk aka tohu nway and as fried dried tohpu (tohu jauk kyaw).Wet tha chinShan Preserved minced pork in rice.Wet tha hmyit chinShan Pork with sour bamboo shoots.Kauk hnyin baungShan Cooked glutinous rice with meat on a banana leaf.Hin thoteShan Steamed meat and flour in banana leaves.
Mon-inspired
Burmese nameBurmese scriptImageOriginDescriptionThingyan htaminMon Fully boiled rice in candle-smelt jasmine water served with mango salad and fried dried-prawn.Wet mohingaMon Like mohinga but vermicelli is served while wet.
Karen inspired Burmese nameBurmese scriptImageOriginDescriptionTalabaw Karen Primary ingredient is bamboo shoots, with a small amount of rice and some shreds of meat or seafood. One of the most well known soups in Myanmar, and widely considered to be the essential dish of Karen cuisine.
Hin
Burmese nameBurmese scriptImageOriginDescriptionKyar zan hinMandalay glass noodle soup with chicken, wood-ear mushrooms, dried flowers, onions, boiled egg, garnished with coriander, thin-sliced onions, crushed dried chilli and a dash of lime.Kalar hinSouth Indian A South Indian dish made of dried snakefish, radish, carrots, eggplant, and okra.Si byan Dish of meat or fish with condiments cooked in oil and water until all the water is boiled off leaving the meat or fish in an oily gravy.Cho chin gyaw Sweet and sour dish of meat or fish with vegetables.A sein gyawChinese Dish of fried green vegetables with meat, cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, green beans, baby corn, cornflour or tapioca starch, tomatoes, squid sauce.
Desserts