After seven years in Berlin, where the foodie scene is more than well covered by German and international food enthusiasts, I have just arrived in Yangon, Myanmar. It is a melting pot of different food influences – and I can’t wait to explore as many as possible. As I’m currently still camping in our flat, awaiting furniture and most importantly cooking utensils to arrive, I have started to explore the very broad and growing local and international restaurant scene, which I hope to share with you in the coming years. So if any of you out there have recommendations for restaurants, bars, cooking classes, market tours or anything else related to the Myanmar culinary world, please contact me.
Burmese tea leaf salad – lahpet
This national dish and delicacy is made by fermenting just-picked tea leaves for several months underground. The fermented tea leaves are then mixed with fried crispy garlic, chili, lime juice and vegetable oil and topped with dried shrimps, roasted peanuts and/or fried beans, toasted sesame seeds. Depending on the mixture of the topping the salad always tastes different but with the unique flavor of the fermented tea. Here it is eaten in restaurants, as snacks and even sold in snack packs in supermarkets ready to mix together at home – something I will definitely try as long as I have no cooking utensils.
The best tea leaf salad so far I had at “The Pansodan”, 106 Pansodan Road in Yangon, a wonderful brasserie in an old heritage building, that not only serves traditional local cuisine but as well great cocktails with a local twist such as Mandalay Spritz with Pomelo, Aperol and Mint or Tamarind Margaritas – Chiyars or cheers!
makanandcomida 
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