Samosas and Soups: Spicy and mild, this is the perfect climate for South-East Asian food

A crisp samosa sounds perfect on a wet afternoon, perfect for some spicy fare. We head to Burma Burma for some samosa soup and samosa cheesecake. Light, spicy, hot and comforting, some Southeast Asian flavors are perfect for the weather. We start with a light lemon lentil and banana pindi soup that immediately hits the spot. Called Mohinga, it is the unofficial national dish of Myanmar. Served with the crisp and sharp flavors of lentils, it’s a meal in itself. Burmese cuisine is big on salads and doesn’t emphasize dairy products. Tofu Replaces Cheese There’s also tofu, a soft bite of steamed chickpea flour that’s incorporated into stir-fries and curries. A salad of semi-ripe guavas tossed with sriracha and crushed peanuts is fresh and tasty, while lotus stem chips infused with paprika are crisp and spicy.

Rice is a staple of Burmese cuisine, with a variety of vegetables and meats. Some sticky rice cooked in mustard broth and edamame goes well with a water chestnut and tofu stir fry.

An udon noodle bowl with coconut curry and charred bok choy is packed with deep flavors and deeply satisfying.

Interestingly, the Indian samosa is reborn in a smaller Burmese incarnation, filled with meat, vegetables or pistachios depending on the dish. Enjoy it in a soup, a samosa salad or a dessert. Neighborly love at its best!

Burma has a wide variety of traditional sweets, dominated by the flavors of sago, coconut, palm jaggery, and durian. Whether it’s a cold panna cotta, a moist semolina cake or a Burmese version of phaluda with chilled coconut milk and basil seeds, the meal ends on a very sweet note.

Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean or Burmese cuisines—all are big on flavorful broths, noodle dishes, and vibrantly spicy snacks. Also, with so many restaurants offering these specialty cuisines, you are spoiled for choice.

For example, at Mamagoto, which offers multiple Asian cuisines, the Thai menu is authentic and extensive. Let’s start with a delicious bowl of tom yum, a sour and tangy soup bursting with flavors of lemongrass and kaffir leaves that’s light and filling.

Som Tham salad is a perennial favorite and is a delicious mix of crisp raw papaya and peanuts, both sour and sweet. “Lime juice, jaggery, red chilli paste, garlic and soy sauce make the dressing,” explains area chef Tara Singh Sunar. Coconut is crucial to Thai cuisine, and if you’re looking to experience it, snow peas and green bean salad are a good choice. Talking about Thai food, the iconic Pad Thai is a must-try. A rice noodle dish that’s a culinary commonality among South-Eastern cuisines, Pad Thai is comforting in a bowl, making it a mouth-watering meal. This quintessential Thai dish showcases a harmonious combination of flavors, striking a delicate balance between sweet, savory and spicy. Garnish with peanuts and herbs to add crunch and aroma. Chef Sunar says herbs are “the most commonly used ingredient in Thai cooking” and offer its unique identity. Again, Chiang Mai Train Station Noodles is a great option for coconut lovers.

Rice is a South-East Asian staple and any food tour is incomplete without it. So, we had to try the restaurants classic Spicy Bangkok Bowl. Filled with a bowl of sticky rice and crackling, lots of spices, garlic and chilies, the dish is perfect for a cold, rainy day. If you want to keep the spice level, you can try the Fiery Thai Shrimp Fried Rice with Asian Green Chili Chicken Ribbons. If you’re averse to this level of spice, the Moist Thai Basil Fried Rice is perfect for you.

End the meal with sticky rice and mango dessert, a hot favorite this season.

Apart from Thai and Chinese, there are many restaurants offering cuisines from Vietnam and South Korea. Viet: Nome, Cyberhub, Worldmark Gurugram and Goa bring a fresh twist to Vietnamese cuisine. Although the main ingredients of traditional cuisine include shrimp paste, fish sauce, rice, herbs, fruits and lots of greens, you cannot visualize this cuisine without salads that are eaten all year round. The flavors of herbs like pumpkin, Thai basil, coriander, mint and ginger are vibrant in every bite of chicken salad or vegetable rice paper rolls.

There’s a long list of starters and appetizers, so-called small bites, that keep you feeling fuller for longer while eating fewer calories. Start with summer fresh charcoal asparagus rice paper rolls filled with coconut mayonnaise, seasonal vegetables, vermicelli noodles, spinach, avocado, herbs, arugula and mango. It’s a great light bite that can also be filled with salmon, chicken, and shrimp. Some of the hot dishes are vegetable glass noodle dimsum, dumplings cooked in sour soy, filled with crunchy vegetables; spicy galangal (ginger’s more citrus cousin), sesame chicken skewers; Turmeric Pigmented Chicken Chilli Dimsums, which have a natural yellow color; Dry chili shrimp or shrimp mousse on sugarcane skewers, they are very appetizing.

For the main course, try Blue Pea Jasmine Rice with Vegetable Mango Curry which is one of the most ordered dishes.

The cocktail menu is a must-try. All cocktails are dedicated to iconic characters and each inspired by ingredients indigenous to Vietnam. For example, the Mona Lisa has white rum, watermelon, basil, sake, and almond milk, while the Romeo and Juliet has green cherry tomatoes, celery sticks, vodka, cream cheese, and sparkling wine. Among the desserts, chocolate fondant, a gooey mini Lava Cake; A must-have is the seasonal special pomelo mango sago, a sweet and refreshing dessert made with mangoes and sago pearls.

All resources are a balance of nutrients and embody the five elements (earth, water, air, wind and fire). The selected ingredients are based on these factors to balance each other.

“There’s a lot of variety on offer and we use the freshest ingredients,” says Chef Akash Nakra, Head of Culinary at Viet: Phnom. Like a seafood feast from Trang.”