Shan Noodles (Burmese Flat Rice Noodles with Turmeric Meat Sauce)
Shan noodles are the everyday noodle of Myanmar's Shan State, found at nearly every market stall and tea shop in the region. Thin, flat rice noodles are topped with a sauce of minced chicken or pork cooked with turmeric, tomato, and a touch of chili. The dish is finished with a generous pour of fried garlic oil - golden-brown garlic chips sizzling in their own rendered fat - which gives the bowl its signature aroma. Pickled mustard greens add a sour crunch on the side, and toasted chickpea flour is sprinkled over for a nutty, grainy texture. The noodles come in two styles: a dry version tossed with the sauce, and a soup version swimming in a light broth. Both are eaten with a spoon and fork rather than chopsticks, in keeping with Burmese custom.
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Instructions
- 1
Cook rice noodles, rinse briefly, and drain well.
- 2
Heat oil and saute garlic and onion.
- 3
Add ground chicken and break it up while cooking.
- 4
Season with soy sauce, fish sauce, and chili flakes.
- 5
Place noodles in bowls and top with the chicken sauce.
- 6
Warm remaining oil and drizzle over for aroma.
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