The cuisine is a blend of Mon, Indian and Chinese influences. It is fairly exotic and a bit greasy. The basis of Burmese cooking is fish or poultry accompanied by rice or vegetables. The national dish (mohinga) is made up of fish cake, thin rice noodles, cilantro and onions. There are also numerous shrimp and seafood dishes.

The principal flavorings are curry, coconut, garlic and chili. Vegetables make up most soups. For desserts, there are semolina cakes flavored with coconut, or banana cake.

A few favorites:

thoks
light spicy salads made with raw fruits or vegetables mixed with various ingredients and spices

dal
a lentil soup of Indian origin, flavored with turnip, potato and okra

oh-no khauk-swe
noodles combined with chicken in a spicy coconut-based sauce.

Among the most popular noodles dishes are mohinga
rice noodles served in fish soup.

To quench your thirst, you can try can sugar juice, Mandalay Beer, or hta yei, "toddy juice," an alcoholic beverage that peasants extract from the top of the toddy palm, with a milky syrupy consistency and hazelnut-like flavor.