Bon Appetit!!!

Bon Appetit!!!

Suppose you are hungry a bit some hours after your lunch. You imagine that it will be nice to have tea and some Myanmar snacks. But, again, it is noteworthy that tea is an option, it is not a compulsory.

That time, a street vendor is calling out from the depth of his throat in this way, "Shwe Yin Aye, Moat Let Saung!".  One can say that it is really euphonic to listen to them.

Any householders glance at one another and wait for final decision. One of them has realized the message another one gives, and goes out to the verendah and calls out the seller to halt. Later, they send a child there and ordered two cups of Shwe Yin Aye, and one cup of Moat Let Saung for them.

Normally, the diligent vendor comes to their less quiet surrounding at about one in the afternoon. The inhabitants of the street know that it is the appropriate time for having some snacks. But, for some people, their tea time or break time is around 3:30 or 4:00 in the evening.

We can conclude that we, Myanmar people, like to have snacks between these hours: 1:00 p.m to 4:oo p.m. We also know that we have richness in Myanmar traditional snacks. But, some want to enjoy modern foods at some famous food chains in Yangon.

The splendid and dazzling modern delicacies can really attract anyone who wants to taste them. But, they prefer traditional snacks. For "Shwe Yin Aye", it is suitable for hot and sunny hours of Tabotwe, Tabaung, and Tagoo. But, one can eat it anytime one likes to have. No restrictions on this part. At one's fancy, one can have it. Actually, both of them are really good for consuming.

The best thing to try "Shwe Yin Aye" is one of its ingredients, which is Kyauk Kyaw which is a bit softy, and jelly like. Normally, I firstly taste it with a spoonful of the sweet solution of squeezed coconut juice induced with sugar. Later, sagu or tapioca, and a slice of bread. It can surely cool your warm chest because the weather is a bit hot under the blaring, merciless sun.

Another one is Moat Let Saung which is the concoction of green colour Mote Phat (rice droplets), sagu and the sweet solution of squeezed coconut. It can be served with another solution made of jaggery. It is more tasty and good for everyone who does not like the taste of coconut. Especially, a person with hypertension should stay away from having it with coconut solution.

At some other time, they want to enjoy other Myanmar snacks. Then, they look for them in other streets. Mostly, the vendor sellers gather near apartment buildings and government buildings.

The vendors are very smart to understand their market place where their real consumers will definitely come and buy snacks from them. Actually, they are trying to fulfill their needs.

Apart from above-mentioned two snacks, the other favourite snacks they have is "Moat Lin Ma Yar , literally translated as (The Couple Snack)." It is really tasteful one. One thing interesting about this snack is that when it is made, they use a special pan which has got 50 cavities in it. They pour dough into the swallow cavity, letting the outer layer of it to be a little bit crisped. But, the inside of it is not meant to be criped. Then, they put boiled pea sometime or they will put quail egg into it to make it more tasty. It is much mouth watering to think about it.

Just a thought on it gives one its smell and taste appearing in the mind of the thinker. So much influential on people. Finally, the seller sprinkles pounded sessame to have got perfect taste of it.

Another one is "Baine Moat", which is "Myanmar Pan Cake" which has got two kinds. The one is tawny colour sweeter one, and the other is a non sweet whitish one. The first one is suitable for someone who wants to have sweet. The smell is really good, and the taste is exceptional. Anyone cannot deny the allurement of these delicacies. It is the best when one eats with a cup of tea. A perfect pair one can say. The second one is liked by girls rather than boys, because sometimes it is served with shroudded chilies studded on the face of it and that  will give the whole pencake the hot taste.

But, people have different temperaments, and likings. They will choose whatever they like. It is only up to them. Anyway, these snacks are the favourite ones of Myanmar. Accordingly, they will have them whenever they feel fanciful to them.

It is the best way to suppress one's hunger by having one's traditional snacks. It will whet Myanmar appetite, bon appetit!!!■

San Lin Tun