Take a Bite of Burma — Go French Yourself

Burmese food is delicious, a cuisine that highlights local delicacies as well as Indian and Chinese influences. And Tulsans...you must venture out to The Spectrum Center and try Kai Burmese Cuisine.

Burmese food, like most national cuisines, is the sum of many regional parts. Myanmar is a country made up of many ethnicities, and each one has its own special dishes and styles of cooking. A few unifying factors that span this diverse country are the overwhelmingly sour and savory flavors that dominate the food, as well as the tendency for dishes to be served with a ton of accompaniments — be they soups, boiled vegetables, herbs or dipping sauces and pastes. The emphasis is on strong, pungent flavors, not sweet or spicy flavors like you might find in neighboring countries like Thailand or India. As is the case in many Asian countries, rice is the cornerstone of many people’s diets in Myanmar. Rice comes white and fluffy on its own or with curries, it’s made into noodles or formed into glutenous rice cakes that are eaten as a snack or dessert on the street. Another common thread in Burmese cuisine is the ubiquitous use of salads, which are made with anything under the sun. Whether it’s noodles, rice or vegetables, anything can be turned into a Burmese salad, which are crunchy, spicy and sour. Finally, the pervasive influence of international cuisines, namely Chinese and Indian, can be found all over Myanmar.

We enjoyed the Shan Noodles. The Shan are the second biggest ethnic group in Myanmar after the Bamar, and their cuisine can be found around the city of Mandalay and the famous Inle Lake. Shan-style rice noodles, which are kneaded with turmeric oil, are thin, flat, sticky and delicious. They might be served with ground chicken or pork, onions, chili and crushed peanuts in a shallow broth or full soup.

The chickpea tofu is also fantastic and I loved hearing the story of how this is made. Work definitely goes into this! It’s made by mixing chickpea flour with water and turmeric over heat. The mixture can be eaten warm, in a porridge-like dish, or can be set out to firm up to a tofu-like consistency. From there, the “tofu” might be sliced and eaten fresh, or fried and eaten with a dipping sauce.

The Palata: which a house-made layered bread (often served for breakfast served with a protein rich curry) was delish. The bread is a form of Burmese Indian style naan, pulled straight out of a clay pot cooking device.

The hot green tea was also incredible.

Look forward to trying the La Phet Tot next which is the popular tea leaf salad.