Burmese food has to be one of my favorite types of international food. It is similar to Thai in quite a few ways, but also very different. Working with people from several of Burma's ethnic groups, I have been able to sample a variety of dishes from different regions. This is a recipe that is one of my absolute favorites (a dessert, of course.) It is usually made around the Burmese New Year (mid-april) and is a traditional food to accompany the annual water festival, Thingyan. Thingyan is one of my favorite holiday's in Asia, as everyone takes to the streets throwing water on each other to welcome the new year and wash away bad luck.
75g glutinous rice flour
35g rice flour
¼ teaspoon salt
100ml cold water
20g palm sugar (or brown sugar)
½ fresh coconut, grated
method
Put both flours and salt in a mixing bowl, then add the water and stir with a spoon until everything comes together. The mixture should feel dry but forms a ball when a handful of it is rolled in the palms. If it is too dry, add a little extra water. Next, grate or cut the palm sugar into small pieces prior to making the dumplings.
Roughly divide the mixture into 12 portions, roll each into a ball. Push with a finger to form a small hollow in the centre and put ½ teaspoon of palm sugar inside. Seal the hole by squeezing the mixture together again and rolling in the palms to reshape into a ball. Put the dumplings on a piece of cling film so they don’t stick to the work surface.
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and pop half the dumplings into the boiling water and simmer for 3-5 minutes, uncovered. When the balls have floated to the top, they are cooked. Remove with a slotted spoon. Cook the remaining dumplings as before and serve them warm sprinkled with freshly grated coconut.
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