food related
- What should I keep in my Burmese store cupboard?
- Where can I buy Burmese ingredients?
- Can I use jasmine or long grain rice instead of basmati?
- Can I use another oil instead of peanut oil?
- Why aren’t there any recipes for beef?
- Useful UK/US equivalents
What should I keep in my Burmese store cupboard?
Tamarind paste, fish sauce, basmati rice, dried shrimp, groundnut/peanut oil, chickpea powder, ground turmeric, dried chillies to get you started.
Where can I buy Burmese ingredients?
Majority of ingredients are available in ordinary supermarkets, some you will find in Chinese or Asian supermarkets. There are a few ingredients that can only be purchased from a Burmese supplier such as pickled tea leaf. I have started collecting a list of Burmese suppliers from all over the world. There are a few on my list at the moment and I would love to hear from anyone who can help add to the list and share their experience with the suppliers.
UK:
Mum’s House
US:
Good Luck Yogurt
2217 Newpark Mall
(upper level, next to Mervyn’s)
Newark, CA 94560
Tel: (510) 745-7788
Minthila
41-06, 50th Street
Apt#6C, Woodside
NY 11377
USA
Tel: (718) 672-4842
Malaysia:
Paradish Palace (Small shop attached to the restaurant)
Lot 1, 6th floor
Sogo Shopping Centre
Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman
Kuala Lumpur
Can I use jasmine or long grain rice instead of basmati?
You can use any kind of rice, it’s up to your own taste. I love the smell of basmati rice when it is cooking and it was what we used in Burma.
Can I use another oil instead of peanut oil?
Yes if you chose an oil that has a neutral taste. I like to use peanut/groundnut oil which is said to contain beneficial mono-unsaturated fats and has a high smoking point. On occasions when I have not been able to find peanut oil I tend to use grapeseed or sunflower oil.
Why aren’t there any recipes for beef?
Most Burmese people do not eat beef and growing up in Rangoon we also followed this tradition. As a result I have never been fond of the taste or have experience cooking beef.
Recently I have started to look into where and when this tradition comes from. As far as I know, not eating beef is not entirely because of religious belief. I think it may stem from the fact that cows/oxen are used to plough and harvest rice, an essential stable in Burma. Perhaps the cow/ox is more valuable as a work animal.
Useful UK/US equivalents
Cornflour = Corn starch
Caster sugar = Superfine sugar
Aubergine = Eggplant
Courgette = Zucchini
Coriander = Cilantro
Spring onions = Scallions
Waxy potato = Red potato
Spring roll = Pancake roll
Groundnut oil = Peanut oil
Double cream = Heavy whipping cream
Cling film = Plastic wrap
Baking sheet = Oven tray
Grill = Broil
