In search of Burmese fish noodle soup in Yangon

Myanmar’s unofficial dish, mohinga, is going upmarket – and nowadays you don’t even have to get up early to find it

• Burmese days: in the footsteps of George Orwell

In Myanmar, a land with more than 130 distinct ethnic groups and almost as many languages, there’s one thing that almost everybody can agree on: mohinga (fish noodle soup). Many Burmese still start their day with this rib-sticking working class staple. The unofficial national dish is served bobbing with vermicelli, fortified with ground chickpeas and laced with a subtle underlying funk from dried catfish powder. Garnishes range from hard-boiled eggs to fried crullers and chickpea fritters. It isn’t much to look at but the broth, humming with turmeric, pepper, lemongrass, ginger and other spices, is hard to resist. A squeeze of lime, a fistful of coriander and a sprinkle of chilli flakes add brightness.

You’ll want to rise early, when monks still walk the streets collecting alms and the markets are teeming with activity