If you don’t know much about Burmese cuisine, then Lahpet’s menu is a real eye-opener
Lahpet, 58 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6JW (020 3883 5629). Small plates £6-£8, large plates £12.50-£16.50, ice-creams and sorbets £3 a scoop, wines from £22
In the days following my dinner at Lahpet on London’s Bethnal Green Road, I could often be found fridge-hanging, teaspoon in hand. I was waiting for the moment when, unwatched, I could take a crafty scoop from one of the white, resealable bags of balachaung that I had smuggled home with me, so I could eat it neat. Balachaung is one of the more ubiquitous condiments from the country I will refer to as Burma (as that’s the name Lahpet uses). Trust me. You need balachaung in your life.
It’s a toasty mix of caramelised dried shrimps, crispy garlic and shallots. Trust me, you need balachaung in your life
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