Myanmar Food
Htamane
 The Htamane (glutinous rice) cooking festival is
a traditional event in Myanmar that occurs around
the Full Moon Day of the lunar month of Tabodwe,
which usually falls in late January or early
February. During the festival, glutinous rice is
crushed and kneaded before it is mixed with other
ingredients in huge iron vats using big paddles. The
first portion of this delicacy is offered to Lord
Buddha and Buddhist monks, while participants in the
ceremony and onlookers share what is left over. In
some areas of the country, a dobat (traditional drum
music) troupe performs to encourage the htamane
makers.
The tools required to make glutinous rice include
a huge, wide-rimmed iron bowl, two long-handled
stirring paddles, three bricks for the makeshift
fireplace and firewood.
Ingredients
1) pyis (5 litres) glutinous rice
2) l viss (1.63 kilograms) peanut oil
3) I/2 grated coconut
4) 0.6 viss (I kg) peanuts (without husks)
5) Sliced ginger
6) Salt
Preparation
The glutinous rice is cleaned and soaked in water
for about two hours. Meanwhile, a makeshift
fireplace is built by placing the bricks in a
triangle on a cleared plot of ground.The firewood is
lit under the bricks and the large iron bowl is
placed on top.
The peanut oil is then poured into the bowl and
allowed to heat. The grated coconut is fried in the
oil, with care taken not to overcook it. When the
coconut is finished, it is removed from the bowl and
the oil is drained from it. Then the peanuts and
sliced ginger are fried, and the oil is drained from
them as well. All the fried ingredients are placed on
a plate and set aside. Half the cooking oil used to
fry the ingredients is removed from the iron bowl
and set aside. The soaked glutinous rice is placed
into the iron bowl with the remaining cooking oil.
At this point, two strong young men wearing
loincloths step forward with their paddles and begin
kneading, crushing and stirring the htamane with
great vigour, encouraged by the shouts and cheers of
onlookers. Salt is sprinkled over the rice during
this process, which is overseen by the head chef,
who directs the men with the paddles to ensure that
the rice is well-crushed and the oil and salt are
spread throughout the mixture.
After about 30 minutes of stirring, most of the
fried coconut, peanuts and ginger are added to the
mix. However, a small amount of the fried
ingredients is kept to the side to be sprinkled over
the htamane before eating. When the glutinous rice
has been thoroughly mixed and cooked, the giant iron
bowl is removed from the fire. The big lump of
htamane is placed on a wood or metal tray covered
with banana leaves that have been rubbed with edible
oil, and allowed to cool. Then the delicacy is served
on the banana leaves and enjoyed by all.
Meanwhile, the festivities are continued by
placing the iron bowl back on the fire so that the
next team of cooks and stirrers can make a new
batch.
|
