Fragrant rice cooked with flaked fish, turmeric, onions, and ginger, creating a one-pot meal that is both nourishing and deeply savory. This fisherman's staple from the coastal regions of Myanmar is comfort food at its simplest.
Ingredients
400g jasmine rice
300g firm white fish fillet
2 onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2cm ginger, grated
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
600ml water
Fresh dill or cilantro
Instructions
1Season fish fillet with turmeric and salt, then pan-fry until just cooked and flake into large pieces.
2Saute onions in oil until golden, then add garlic and ginger, cooking until fragrant.
3Add washed rice to the pan and stir to coat with the aromatics and oil.
4Pour in water and fish sauce, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to very low and cover tightly.
5Cook for twenty minutes until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid, then gently fold in the flaked fish.
6Let rest covered for five minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve garnished with fresh dill or cilantro.
Did You Know?
Nga htamin is the everyday meal of fishing communities along Myanmar's long coastline, and each village has its own variation depending on the local catch and available aromatics.