From the simple honest flavour of a basic curry to one-dish meals like the national dish of fish noddle soup, each recipe has been carefully refined and tested so that everyone can enjoy the taste of Myanmar in their own homes.

Rice is an essential part of a Burmese meal and on special occasions, we make this fragrant butter and lentil rice to eat with meat curries. It can also be eaten on its own with some dried shrimp relish.

This salad is wonderfully intense, not only from the aromatic crispy garlic and fresh coriander, but also because the eggplant gives it a distinct smoky taste. Roasted peanuts and sesame seeds are added to
give texture to the soft flesh of the
cooked eggplants.

Butter bean is also known as Lima, Calico, Madagascar or Snow bean. These large white beans have a rich and creamy texture which soaks up the turmeric and onion flavours, turning them deep yellow. I think this is typical of Burmese cooking, simple but full of flavour.

This is my favourite pork dish, robust in flavour and the meat melts in the mouth. My mother usually cooks a large pot of this in the hope that it could be eaten over a few days, as the repeated reheating improves the flavour. In our house, it rarely lasts more than two servings!

Avocados always remind me of a treat we used to eat in Burma and one that I particularly enjoy, an avocado shake. It was simply made with ripe avocado, milk, a little condensed milk and sugar resulting in a rich buttery sweet drink. I have adapted this recipe into an avocado ice cream which can be served as a dessert.

Yellow split pea fritters or Baya Kyaw is Indian in origin and is a popular street food in Yangon eaten as a snack throughout the day. This recipe is my sister’s version and works particularly well as a starter, simply served with a dip.

We were served this tomato fish curry at a local roadside restaurant on the way to the Shan state. The tomato gravy with tender fish and fresh coriander made the lengthy car journey worthwhile.

Curry in Burmese is called sipyan which literally means ’oil returns‘, a sign when the gravy is ready. Although a curry, very little spices are used, instead the flavour is created by caramelising the onion, garlic and chilli paste.

This fish noddle soup is called mohinga. The taste of mohinga is instant comfort food for me. It brings back fond memories of early morning visits to Shwedagon Pagoda with an essential breakfast stop at a nearby mohinga stall. Mohinga is considered the Burmese national dish eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Crispy gourd or onion fritters are essential garnish for Mohinga. It can be eaten on its own with a chilli dip as a starter.

What a great way to eat semolina, rich and moist in the middle and crunchy on top. It always goes down well at the end of a meal with a splash of cream and if there are any leftovers have it with a cup of tea the next day.

This is a unique Burmese salad. All the ingredients are laid out on the table and each person mix the salad or thote to suit their own taste.