Ansab Khan: Much more than khowsuey!

Beautiful soups and salads, rice, noodles and curries — there is much to take delight in when you are at Burma Burma. The vegetarian restaurant has been instrumental in introducing people to Burmese cuisine. Chef Ansab Khan tells us more...

Do you think people have now become a little more familiar with Burmese cuisine?

When we started five years ago, the menu was predominantly from the Yangon region (Rangoon) and focussed on the street food of the city. Later, we incorporated different regional cuisines and food of various tribes. Today, the guests are definitely more aware of Burmese dishes. Previously, they knew only khowsuey.

The culinary landscape of Burma is quite varied...

Burma is a vast country with diverse geography with regions that are along the sea and big rivers where seafood is widely eaten. Then there are the cold mountains of the Kachin region and the fertile plains in the south where rice is abundant. Each areahas some unique ingredients. Some of the dishes that are eaten across the country, like the Mohinga, which is also the national dish, has many different forms with slight variations in different states. Every community has its own version of khowsuey, too.

Can you tell us a bit about your travels to different states of Burma? 

In my six visits to Burma, I’ve had the opportunity to traverse places like Yangon, Mandalay, the historic city of Bagan, Shan and more. We have eaten food in the streets, restaurants, highway motels and at the homes of locals and farmers.