Our Meals

 To discuss the Burmese eating style, it is important to have a clear understanding of the typical food that we consume. The main staple food in Burma is Hta Min which is essentially steamed rice served with Hin which is made with either meat or vegetables. It is customary for us to eat every dish with steamed rice. The type of rice that we eat can vary depending on our individual preferences. Personally, I find Paw San Mayne - Burmese Jasmine rice to be my all-time favourite. We typically consume rice with dishes especially meat curries. 

Breakfast is typically served between 8am to 10am and there are a variety of breakfast options available, including Shan noodle shops, local tea houses, Mee Shae shops, tempura shops, and more. I have attached some photos below from a Google search. At home, mothers or home helpers usually prepare breakfast, such as fried rice and tempura. Sometimes, we also like to have leftovers with rice from the previous night's dinner for breakfast, but this depends. 

During lunchtime, which is usually between 12 pm to 2 pm, we have a different meal compared to breakfast. We usually have Hta min ne Hin, which is steamed rice served with various dishes. All the dishes are in large sharing plates with extra spoons for us to scoop as much as we want for our individual rice plates. The meal usually includes a bowl of soup, one or more meat dishes, and two or more vegetable dishes. On some occasions, we also serve Ngapi Yay ne Tozaya, which is a delicious spicy fermented shrimp or fish paste (liquid dipping) served with blanched vegetables such as Okara, small eggplants, and some green leaves. This dish is so tasty that I can finish one or two plates of rice in one sitting.

This delicious lunch is served with our right hand, using the bare hand. However, my family usually eats meals using a spoon on the right and a fork on the left hand, which I find more hygienic. Nonetheless, I still enjoy eating with my right hand, so I try to use gloves instead of my bare hand. The two pictures above were searched on Google to show what the lunch looks like.

We typically eat similar food for dinner as we had for lunch, or we go out with friends to enjoy BBQ or Chinese Mala dishes with rice and beer. Traditionally, dinner was eaten at home with family members around 8 pm, but nowadays there are many evening restaurants open until late at night, and young people like to go out and try new things with friends. So, having dinner with family at home has slowly disappeared. 

Since you all know about the Burmese Standard Diet (BSD), would you care to share yours?

💜💜Much Love and God Bless You💜💜