MOSTLY VEGETABLES
IN THE SUBTROPICAL CLIMATE of central and southern Burma, fresh vegetables are available year-round and they play a huge role at the table. Every rice meal includes a plate of fresh or steamed vegetables as well as a spiced vegetable dish or two. The possibilities are endless. Fresh beans, from limas to yard-long beans, are included in mixed vegetable dishes such as the intriguing Kachin Vegetable Medley or stir-fried (see Lima Beans with Galangal, for example). In another stir-fry, Napa cabbage is flavored with a little oyster sauce (see this page)
Eggplant may be grilled and then flavored, as it is in Eggplant Delight, or simmered in a shallot-ginger flavor base (enriched with tiny dried fish) to make Traveler’s Eggplant Curry. Tomatoes make a sauce for cooking meaty vegetables such as mushrooms (Mushroom and Tomato Curry) or for eggs (Golden Egg Curry). The easy and wonderfully versatile Shan tofu is here, both smooth and deep-fried (see this page), and so are crunchy chayote fritters, which make delicious appetizers.
Temperate-climate vegetables like potatoes, pumpkin, and broccoli rabe also have a place at the table, especially in the cooler months. Broccoli Rabe with a Hint of Pork is one example; another is the warming and delicious Tamarind-Pumpkin Curry.
SERVES 4
Okra is widely available in Burma, a reminder that the nation borders on Bangladesh and India, where okra is a common and much appreciated vegetable.
This is a quick pan-fry of chopped okra and shallots. Because it’s cut small, the okra gets crispy at the edges and is quickly cooked. The shallots give a hint of sweet and balance while the ginger and cayenne add a bit of warmth. I like to serve this as a side with beef stew or a hearty soup.
½ pound okra
3 tablespoons peanut oil
⅛ teaspoon turmeric
1 cup thinly sliced shallots
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced green cayenne chile
1 teaspoon fish sauce
¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Cut the stems off the okra, and the tips too, if they are tough. Cut the okra into ¼-inch-wide slices. (You will have about 3 cups.) Set aside.
Place a wok or wide heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, and then after a few moments, the turmeric. Stir for a moment, add the shallots, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until they are translucent and starting to brown in spots, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, stir, and cook for several minutes until softened.
Raise the heat to high and add the okra. Cook, stirring frequently, for several minutes, then add the green chile, fish sauce, and salt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the okra is tender and has some brown spots.
Turn out into a shallow bowl and serve hot or at room temperature.
SERVES 4
The sweetness of pumpkin or squash in this attractive dish is balanced by a touch of sour tamarind. This is a good foil for spicy dishes such as
Kachin Pounded Beef with Herbs or
Chile-Oil Fish. Serve hot or at room temperature. Leftovers are delicious.
1½ pounds pumpkin, or kabocha, acorn, or other hard winter squash
About 2 teaspoons tamarind pulp (see Glossary), coarsely chopped
½ cup hot water
1 tablespoon oil
Pinch of turmeric
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon fish sauce, or to taste
¾ cup water
Salt (optional)
About ¼ cup chopped coriander, or 2 to 3 tablespoons minced mint
Cut the pumpkin or squash into approximately 1-inch cubes (you should have about 3 cups). Peel them and set aside.
Put the tamarind pulp in the hot water. Mash it with a fork to dissolve it. Let stand for 10 minutes, then press the liquid through a sieve into a bowl. Discard the pulp.
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet or saucepan or a wok over medium heat. Add the turmeric and stir, then add the shallot, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallot is softened and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the shrimp powder and cook for about a minute, until softened. Add the chile powder or cayenne, pumpkin cubes, tamarind liquid, fish sauce, and the ¾ cup water, raise the heat, cover, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to maintain a strong simmer and cook until the pumpkin or squash cubes have softened, 5 to 8 minutes (timing will depend on the kind of pumpkin or squash). Remove the lid and simmer for another minute so the sauce cooks down a little.
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings if you wish by adding a dash more fish sauce or a little salt. Top with the coriander or mint and serve.
sweet potato curry
To use sweet potato in place of pumpkin, peel about 1½ pounds sweet potatoes and cut into bite-sized cubes. It will take a little longer to cook.
traveler’s eggplant curry
SERVES 4 AS A MAIN COURSE, 6 AS A SIDE
This curry was one of the dishes on offer at a roadside eatery in the mountains of Shan State. It was a real find, with mild heat and a little reddish oil floating on the top, a sign that the dish had simmered long enough. It’s delicious over rice and makes great leftovers. Pair it with a green salad, for a contrast of textures and flavors.
Please do not taste the curry partway through cooking, since the dried anchovies’ taste is dominant until the curry is thoroughly cooked. At that point, the anchovies just give a lovely depth of flavor. Dried shrimp powder makes a good substitute.
3 tablespoons peanut oil
⅛ teaspoon turmeric
½ cup minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced ginger
½ cup minced or crushed tomato
About 1 pound Asian eggplants (3 medium) cut into ¾-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Coarsely chop the dried anchovies (see Note). Place in a small bowl with about ½ cup warm water and set aside to soak.
Place a large heavy saucepan over medium heat and add the peanut oil and turmeric. When the turmeric fizzes, toss in the shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes, until the shallots are well softened. Add the ginger and tomato and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes until the ginger is softened. Add the eggplant and stir and turn it for several minutes to expose all surfaces to the flavored oil.
Drain the anchovies and add them, along with the 1 cup water. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to maintain a strong simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the salt and chile oil to taste; if using dried shrimp powder, add it now. Continue to simmer, half-covered, for another 30 minutes. The oil will rise to the surface of the cooking liquid and the eggplant will be tender and succulent.
Taste for salt and adjust if you wish.
NOTE: As the dish cooks, the anchovies melt into the eggplant, all but the small silvery heads. If you wish, cut off and discard the heads before chopping the anchovies.
