There’s no Waitrose in Burma. Or Tesco, or Sainsbury’s, or Co-Op, or Asda. There is something called CityMart, where people fight over the 3 packets of salt and vinegar crisps, but very limited cold storage means the fresh food is far from fresh. The Wet Market is therefore your best bet. And when you get there, it’s not a case of a pound of potatoes please. It’s a whole new edible world. Here’s our pick of the most peculiar produce...

2. WHAT IN GOURD’S NAME IS THAT?
There’s no Waitrose in Burma. Or Tesco, or Sainsbury’s, or Co-Op, or Asda. There is
something called CityMart, where people fight over the 3 packets of salt and vinegar
crisps, but very limited cold storage means the fresh food is far from fresh. The Wet
Market is therefore your best bet. Peak shopping time is dawn. Take your least special
shoes, a nose clip (fermented food v. popular) and your elbows: it’s hectic.
And when you get there, it’s not a case of a pound of potatoes please. It’s a whole
new edible world.
Here’s our pick of the most perculiar produce…

3. It’s a Snozcumber, surely? Roald Dahl must
have been to Southeast Asia. The ugliest
vegetable that ever there was. And it has
obviously snubbed the rest of the veggie
community to have been named the
BITTER GOURD; the grumbling great-uncle
of the Cucurbits who hasn’t cracked a
smile since 1945. Despite appearances, it’s
very popular in Burma, is widely available,
voraciously consumed, and believed to be
very good for digestion, high blood
pressure, cholesterol and kidney stones. It
also works wonders on your skin. A secret
super food.
Serving Suggestion: slice like a cucumber,
and fry with garlic, onion and spices. Or
stuff it like a courgette.

4. I always approach anything jellied
with caution. The Pork Pie is to
blame. But I’m told this is delicious:
it’s a steamed STICKY RICE CAKE,
made of sticky rice flour, sugar and
coconut milk. For a long time, there
really wasn’t much choice when it
came to sweet treats in Burma, so
this is an old favourite, particularly
amongst the older generation.
Serving Suggestion: slice and pop in
mouth.

5. Well this wins the prize for looks:
the ROSELLE BUD. However the use
totally flummoxed me, so I called
upon my Burmese friends. Turns out
Roselle is the queen of cool –
everyone LOVES her. She goes in
soups, is put in boiling water and
drunk as tea, is pounded, spread
with peanut oil and eaten with rice,
is made into jam and juice, or mixed
with honey and jarred for later.
Serving Suggestion: add to pretty
much anything! I also think quite
pretty as earrings.

6. This is a BANANA HEART. So sweet!
Who knew they had hearts? They’re
also technically the main attraction:
it turns out bananas grow on plants,
not trees, and this is the flower. One
crowning flower per plant. Inside is
the pink leaves is the blossom,
which looks like fat beansprouts,
and is treated a bit like them too.
Serving Suggestion: add to stir fries
or salads for a bitter kick.

7. As you can tell from its majestic
wings and roaring flames, this is The
Mighty DRAGON FRUIT. Like most
scary things it’s a softy on the inside
– milky white with black seeds, and
tastes of…. well nothing really. All
smoke and no flame.
Serving Suggestion: cut into wedges
and serve with other tastier fruit.

8. Now this one is a frightening
concept. The CENTURY EGG,
preserved for 100 years in a vat of
tea, lime, salt and ashes. This turns
the egg white black, and the yolk a
swampy green. Thank god the
“century” is actually somewhere
between seven weeks and five
months. The best way to understand
this confusingly adored snack, is
that it’s a bit like blue cheese:
hideous smell, horrendous format,
but creamy, velvety and delicious.
Jury’s still out over here…
Serving Suggestion: quarter and
add to your salad or noodle soup, or
just peel and enjoy the surprise, like
a Kinder Egg.

9. This is a humble MUSHROOM. Not
a pebble. Looks different, does all
the same tricks.
Serving Suggestion: use totally
normally, and be quite smug that
you’re being adventurous and
exploring Asian cuisine, whilst
remaining firmly in your comfort
zone.

10. Well it’s a humungous DRIED FISH
isn’t it. Type unknown, but probably
the number one Burmese snack. It is
chopped up into small pieces, and
goes into EVERYTHING. Curries,
soups, salads, or even chewed as it
comes. A bit like beef jerky I
suppose!
Serving Suggestion: it’s super salty,
so use sparingly and balance with
mild flavours, and something
starchy to soak it up.

11. This is seriously on trend: the edible
SESBANIA BLOSSOM. It’s so pretty,
and will give you straight tens on
Come Dine With Me.
Serving Suggestion: blanche and fry
with king prawns, pork, shallots,
coriander, and chili and dress with
lime juice and fish sauce.

12. THAI EGGPLANT, or little purple
Aubergines. What a joy! So pretty,
and so easy to use.
Serving Suggestion: use in curries,
or if you have LOTS of time, stuff
them like you would a normal
aubergine.

13. And to conclude, a non-edible one.
This is THANAKA. If you’re a
Burmese child or woman, you grind
it on a stone with a little bit of water,
and wear it like make-up. It is
believed to work like suncream,
clear up skin problems, give you an
even skin tone, and fend off ageing.
I’m waiting for the day the cosmetic
industry catches onto this, bottles it,
and sells it for £80.
Serving Suggestion: do not eat.

14. According the the Evening Standard,
Burmese Food is the next big thing
on the international food scene. Go
and try it, and let us know what you
think!
Then have a go at cooking some at
home. You can probably pick up
what you need at an Asian
Supermarket.
Final Serving Suggestion: our range
of Latha Tableware, to complete the
Burmese feel.
Have fun!