In defense of Kyay-Oh

“It is just another asian noodle”, uttered 20-something traveller  with a thick European accent, in response to my suggestion to eat Kyay-Oh, while she was in Yangon night market.

“Blasphemy”, I thought internally, while probably doing a terrible job at hiding my mortified face.

“What??? Kyay-Oh is not just another asian noodle,” said my accompanying friend from the States, half-chucklingly, with an obvious-but-failed intention to diffuse the heat.

Burmese Baby Bok Choy Salad

Your past experience, may be even your common sense, will tell you that bok choys are meant to be boiled, stir-fried or grilled. What if I tell you to fight those biases? Why, you ask? I am here to tell you that one of the best ways to enjoy bok choys is to actually eat them raw. I know this fleshy bonsai-looking vegetable does not look like something that will win the America’s Next Top Salad Green. But, trust me when I say that its seemingly fibrous stem is actually quite tender, juicy and crunchy. Moreover, I absolutely adore raw baby bok choys’ sweet pepperiness, reminiscent of a milder and a more palatable cousin called watercress. The last but definitely not least, compared to lettuce, bok choys hold up their shape so much better after being tossed in salad dressing, making them a wiser choice for packed lunches.

Noodle in Burmese coconut and chickpea broth (Oh- no-khao-swe)

 I am going back to my hometown Yangon in a week. It seems unreal to me that I have been in the United States for 8 years. Seriously, 8 freaking years? Like I said in my IG post before, I have always wondered when I will become more American than Burmese. The other day I woke up, tripped and blurted out “Jesus Christ” rather than “ Lord Buddha”. I guess this is it. I am officially more American than Burmese. But, I have to admit though even before this life-defining moment happened, there were instances that served as warning signs. Below are a few: