Yangon Post

Burma Calling: What in Gourd's Name is That?!

There’s no Waitrose in Burma. Or Tesco, or Sainsbury’s, or Co-Op, or Asda. There is something called CityMart, where people fight over the 3 packets of salt and vinegar crisps, but very limited cold storage means the fresh food is far from fresh. The Wet Market is therefore your best bet. Peak shopping time is dawn. Take your least special shoes, a nose clip (fermented food v. popular) and your elbows: it’s hectic. And when you get there, it’s not a case of a pound of potatoes please. It’s a whole new edible world. Here’s our pick of the most peculiar produce: