• Swooning over Fish Sauce

  Filed under Culinary Asia posts
  Jan 13

  Diving into Burmese Food Did It for Me

  As it happened, Burma was the last of the Mekong countries I explored.

  I had done enough research to know that fish sauce was uber popular with the multi-influenced Burmese food culture, influenced by the diverse populations who arrived when Burma was a vibrant trading hub and decided to make it their home.

  After surviving the pungency of visiting Vietnamese fish farms, the smell of fish sauce didn’t bother me. I just wasn’t as wild about it as what I considered the more refined subtle experience of kaffir leaves and lemon grass.

  By the time I arrived at mystical Inle Lake in northern Burma, I was so blissed out that anything would have probably tasted heavenly. After two weeks in Yangon, and a cruise on the Irawaddy, a lust for the Burmese salads gripped me and wouldn’t let go. Who knew this Burmese fast food could make me quiver and at the same time, be truly healthy?

  The ubiquitous salads seemed particularly fresh, robust and nuanced around Inle Lake, where the peacefulness and magnificent scenery must have had its influence. Fish paste was just part of the spice blast. Burmese also use lahpet, which is a pickled tea I am still trying to master in my own kitchen.

  You’re probably getting the drift for why I am so passionate about the culinary tour I will be leading to Burma next February. Check out the highlights.

  Contact me for more details. I get such joy in talking about the tours I have created with people like you who love food, are fascinated by Asia, with a sense that the most immersive memories will be the amazing stories you experience beyond the place.

  Now I’m getting the siren call from my kitchen to whip up a Burmese salad, knowing that I’m only a year away from slurping the exquisite charm of the real thing. Let’s experience it together!

  Tagged as: Burmese food, fish sauce, salads
  
  4 Comments

4 Responses to “Swooning over Fish Sauce”

1. 

   bali surf said on January 25th, 2010 at 4:07 pm

   In Bali, do not drink water from the taps. Drinking water is cheap and easily available in sealed bottles. When buying water make sure that the seal on your bottle is intact.

2. 

   Nancy Harkrider said on January 27th, 2010 at 7:22 am

   You are right! It bothers me as an environmentalist but it is better to be safe than sorry. I’m now inspired to post some ideas for how to stay healthy while traveling to a part of the world with germs our western bodies aren’t prepared for. And it is possible! I have traveled the back waters (and I do mean remote) of Asia for 15 years and have never been hit with any of those germ baddies. More on that later

3. 

   Free Mov said on March 18th, 2010 at 4:50 am

   Be sure I´ll be back. Found this great blog by searching for thai kitchen

4. 

   visitor travel said on June 8th, 2010 at 4:34 pm

   Hey, awesome site! Keep it up! I will be difinitely be coming back in the near future =)

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