Myanmar: Ohn No Khao
Recipe: Ohn No Khao from Gourmandize with Us
Let me be clear about something: I am passionate about noodle soups. Laksa is probably my death row meal. So when I started researching Burmese cuisine, I was immediately excited by what I found.
Myanmar borders Thailand, Laos, China, India, and Bangladesh, with over 100 ethnic groups reflected in its diverse culinary traditions. My first experience with Burmese food was at Cafe Mandalay in London over 15 years ago, and the meal left a lasting impression.
I selected Ohn No Khao specifically because it combines two of my interests: noodle soup and chickpea tofu. The dish comes together quickly after making the chickpea tofu, which requires some setting time. The cooking process involves boiling noodles, frying onions, adding blended aromatics, spices, stock, and coconut milk.
I found my version somewhat subtle in flavor and enhanced it with chili crisp, adding bok choy and broccoli for extra vegetables. My partner praised the chickpea tofu component unprompted, which is always a good sign.
I’m not entirely sure I chose the optimal Myanmar recipe, but I appreciated the meal’s light yet filling qualities and plan to do further research into Burmese recipes. There’s clearly a lot more to explore.