Many cultures travel the New Year during this time of the year, Myanmar too dances to its own rhythm, rejoicing in the middle of April with Thingyan – a New Year festivity steeped in rich rituals and vibrant customs. To share this cultural treasure, Burma Burma, an authentic Burmese fine-dining restaurant in the city, is celebrating Thingyan — The Burmese Festival. Drawing from Yangon’s status as a cultural melting pot, where diverse ethnicities converge, the menu captures the essence of the Burmese style of cooking with dishes that showcase the culinary diversity of the area. A standout offering is the ‘Village Set’, a shared meal for two, served on a large, flat cane basket, featuring an array of small plates representing different elements of a typical Burmese meal. We visited the restaurant to try their festive offerings.
We began the meal with a refreshing Sweet Lime & Shallot Salad featuring a wonderful amalgamation of sweet lime, garlic oil, roasted gram flour, lime, shallot, crushed green chillies and peanuts. A drool-worthy Assorted Fries Platter showed a fun trio of Mock Mince Samusa, Sweet Potato Tempura, and Rice Crackers. Right after this, we tried our hands on the Peppery Tofu & Onion Stir Fry. This consisted of slowcooked caramelised onions infused with lemon leaves, soy, and crushed pepper, perfectly complemented by seared tofu chunks. Accompanying this was the Shallow-Fried Palata, a soft, flaky, and layered flatbread. The harmonious pairing of Coconut Rice and Pumpkin & Broad Bean Curry was exceptional. The Coconut Rice, also known as Ohn Hatmin, is a ceremonial dish having fragrant short-grain rice cooked with raisins and onions in fresh coconut milk. The Pumpkin & Broad Bean Curry was cooked with shallots, coconut, and chilli.
We were captivated by the array of unique and authentic sweet delights. The Mont Lone Yay Paw, a traditional Thingyan treat was all about glutinous rice flour dumplings filled with palm jaggery and adorned with shredded coconut. Similarly, the Banana Sanwin Makin, a traditional Bur mesBurmesena cake infused with banana and strawberry, baked in coconut cream and topped with poppy seeds, provided a delightful conclusion to our meal. Additionally, the visually stunning Lemon Poppy Seed Ice Cream, crowned with black poppy seeds, added a refreshing touch to our entire experience. Meanwhile, their specially crafted beverages, including the Twilight Plum Sour and El Dragon, served as perfect accompaniments.
Rs 1,850++ upwards for two.
At Sattva Knowledge City, HITEC City.
The festival will go on till May 19.
Mail ID: sakshisuresh.k@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @kaithwas_sakshi