In LA and especially the San Gabriel Valley, we’re lucky to have a wide variety of incredible, authentic Asian food in our grasp, and yet within that mélange, Burmese food is often overlooked. Burmese food is borne out of—you guessed it: Burma (currently Myanmar). For those of you who need a little geography lesson, it's located in Southeast Asia and bordered by China, India, Laos, Thailand and Bangladesh. Its cuisine is a mix of all the cultures that surround it. If you're not familiar with these cultures and their grub, here are four essential dishes to help you jump into Burmese cuisine.
1. Mohinga. Mohinga is a staple of Burmese cuisine. You can get it at any Burmese restaurant and the flavors are pretty representative of the cuisine as a whole. It’s a catfish soup, but don’t let that freak you out because it’s overall taste is a lot less fishy than the name suggests. It’s also made with chickpeas, garlic, onion and lemongrass so it has a slightly nutty and light citrus flavor.
2. Lahpet thoke (tea leaf salad). The tea leaf salad is another quintessential Burmese dish. Lahpet (fermented tea leaves) is a common Burmese dish and it's a flavor explosion when mixed in the salad with lentils, tomato, garlic and green chili.
3. Ohnoh kawt swe (coconut noodle soup). Picture all the best elements from every other Asian soup you’ve ever had in one bowl, and you’ll get an idea of what ohnoh soup tastes like. With a rich coconut base, noodles, soft boiled eggs and a touch of cilantro, this soup tastes like what would happen if tom kah, ramen and pho had a delicious baby.
4. Kima platha. To get a taste of the Indian influence, try Kima Platha. The Indian flatbread is fried and stuffed with meat and onions. It's perfect for pairing for dipping into a soup or curry but is equally delicious on its own.
If you’re looking for a place to try out excellent Burmese food, check out Yoma Myanmar or Daw Yee, both located in Monterey Park.