Burmese curry

Burmese curryrefers to a diverse array of dishes inBurmese cuisinethat consist of meat or vegetables simmered or stewed in an aromatic curry base.Burmese curries generally differ from other Southeast Asiancurries(e.g.,Thai curry) in that Burmese curries make use of driedspicesin addition to fresh herbs and aromatics, and are often milder.Burmese curries are readily available in curry houses throughout the country. They are traditionally accompanied with rice and a variety of side dishes, soups, andBurmese saladscalledathoke.Burmese curries may also be paired withIndian breadslikenanbya,palata,aloo puri, andtoshay.
A curry base of fresh aromatics includingonions,shallots,garlic,chilis,ginger, and dried spices, in the form ofturmericpowder andpaprika, is typically used to prepare most Burmese curries.Other dried spices such aschili powderandspice mixeslikegaram masala, generically calledmasalain Burmese (မဆလာ), also feature in many Burmese curries.The Burmesemasalaspice blend typically consists of groundcinnamonor cassia,cardamon,cloves, andblack pepper.
The curry base and dried spices are then fried in heated oil, in a process calledhsi that(ဆီသတ်,lit.'to kill the oil'). Some Burmese curries also require the use of fresh herbs, such aslemongrass,curry leaf,pyindawthein, and freshtamarindpaste.ShanandKachincurries make more liberal use of fresh herbs such asgalangalandsawtooth coriander,while Mon curries often usemarian plumas a souring agent. Burmese curries are generally seasoned withfish sauce, salt, and/orngapi(fermented shrimp or fish paste), and are traditionally cooked in a blend ofpeanut oilandsesame oil.
TheBurmese languagedoes not have a single word for "curry;" the closest approximation is the wordhin(ဟင်း), which is used to describe most protein-based dishes eaten with rice.Burmese curries can be generally categorized by cooking technique, incorporated ingredients, or region.
The most common variety is calledhsibyan(ဆီပြန်;lit.'oil returns'), which is typified by a layer of oil that separates from the gravy and meat after cooked.The name itself refers to the cooking technique that is used. Inhsibyan, the curry ingredients are simmered in a combination of water and oil until the water has completely boiled off, leaving a layer of oil that separates and rises to the top, which enables the raw and potent curry paste ingredients to properly blend and become milder in taste.Another common variety of curries is calledhnat(နှပ်;lit.'tenderized'), in which gamier proteins like goat are braised or slowly simmered. The names of other Burmese curries are typically suffixed with–hin(–ဟင်း) or–chet(–ချက်).
The repertoire of Burmese curries has not been codified. Common variations of Burmese curries are listed below.
Specially prepared curries also form the base for several Burmese noodle dishes, including:
Kaeng hang leis a pork curry and a regional specialty inNorthern Thailand. It is a local adaptation of similar Burmese pork curries; the name "hang le"is derived from theBurmeseword "hin lay"(ဟင်းလေး, transcribedhang le), which means "heavy curry."ManyrestaurantsinChiang Maicall it ‘Burmese curry.’
Khow suey, also known askhausa, is a South Asian adaptation of the Burmese coconut milk curry noodle soup calledohn no khao swè. It was introduced to the region by theMemoncommunity ofIndiawho adapted this dish, likely coinciding with the emigration of South Asians from Burma in the 1960s, and is now a Memon specialty.