Vibrant Burmese recipes: The Rangoon Sisters' signature dishes

Looking for Burmese recipes? Want to explore Burmese food and cuisine? The Rangoon Sisters (half Burmese sisters Emily and Amy Chung) show us that Burmese cooking is all about balance. Sour, salty, spicy and rich flavours layered together using fresh herbs, aromatics and bold seasoning. This collection celebrates the vibrant food of Myanmar, focusing on The Rangoon Sisters’ signature dishes, inspired by family recipes, supper clubs and modern home cooking.

Burmese recipes from The Rangoon Sisters

Burmese meatball curry

This is one of our late grandma’s weeknight staples, warming and comforting, with a luscious curry sauce. Coconut isn’t commonly used in Burmese curries but she would always add her own spin to things and it adds a lovely richness. You can substitute the beef mince with pork (or a mixture) and we’ve also used turkey thigh mince before too.

Burmese shredded noodle salad

Burmese salads are a mainstay for us at home as they can be an easy and delicious way to use up any leftover carbs or protein once you have all the other condiments to hand such as the garlic oil and toasted gram flour. Here we have combined spiced chicken with sour, salty and spicy elements alongside crunchy chicken skin for added texture.

Burmese sour vegetable soup

Every Burmese spread will be accompanied by a light broth in a small bowl. This helps to hydrate alongside a meal, cleanse the palate between dishes or even to loosen a curry sauce. You can easily serve this alongside meatball curry, or add some blanched rice vermicelli noodles to make it a light meal on its own.

Burmese fried chicken (kyet thar kyaw)

Emily and Amy share their take on a popular street food from Burma. Burmese fried chicken is seasoned with chilli and turmeric, and traditionally served on the bone without a batter. In 2015, Yangon saw the arrival of the first branch of the big international fried chicken joint we all know and love, to huge queues. The sour dipping sauce (achin yay) packs a punch and goes particularly well with fried snacks. If you can’t get hold of tamarind pulp, you can substitute it with a teaspoon of ready-made tamarind paste mixed with 100ml of hot water.

Crispy pork wontons

Crunchy and hot with a sweet and tangy sauce, these crispy wontons were always a part of the festive season at Emily and Amy Chung's Chinese-Burmese childhood home. The Rangoon Sisters have added a Burmese-inspired twist to the filling and the sauce, to pay homage to both parents (their mum being from Myanmar).

Burmese recipes from other chefs

Burmese coconut noodles with chicken

This recipe for ohn-no kauk swé, a brothy, coconut-laced dish, is flavoured with chilli, ginger, paprika and fish sauce. This recipe comes from Burmese restaurant Lahpet in Covent Garden, London.

Burmese grilled aubergine

This side dish comes from Burmese restaurant Laphet sees grilled aubergine dressed with shallot, chilli, lime and roasted peanuts. It it really packs a punch in terms of flavour and texture.

Burmese cassava cake

Cassava – a starchy root vegetable – is the star of this five-ingredient cake from Burmese restaurant Laphet. It's served with jackfruit sorbet in the restaurant, but is great with ice cream or cream, too.

Burmese margarita

Check out this zingy riff on a classic margarita. To make the jaggery syrup, mix one part jaggery with one part water in a pan, bring to the boil, then cool.

Burmese chicken pilaf (danbauk)

A fragrant chicken pilaf, danbauk is served at countless celebrations in Burma. This recipe comes from MiMi Aye, a chef, author and host of the Burmese Food & Beyond supperclub. Full of sweet and warming spices, danbauk is often referred to as a Burmese biryani, but it owes more to Persian cuisine and, in fact, the name is derived from the Persian culinary term ‘dum pukht’. All cooked in one huge pot, it is served with great aplomb at the table, with a feast of crispy fish relish (floss), Burmese-style coleslaw, and refreshing sour soup on the side, all of which balance the buttery richness of the rice. Drinks are generally not served during a Burmese meal – instead, liquid refreshment comes as a broth or soup.

Burmese pork and potato curry

Treat your friends and family and cook this punchy Burmese curry recipe from food writer and chef Darina Allen, with tender pork belly and soft waxy potatoes. This easy dish may take a bit of time but it will be well worth the wait.