Myanmar Snacks, Shan Sticky rice cakes

Myanmar Traditional Shan Snack
(Khaw Poat)

Khaw Poat is a kind of appetizing snack of the Shan national race, who lives in the Southern part of the Shan State. Khaw Poat is not only a popular snack for the Shan nationals, but also for all nationals. We can easily eat Khaw Poat by frying or roasting it.

Khaw Poat is more delicious if you eat with roasted and pounded sesame, and brown slab sugar. And you can also eat Khaw Poat only without mixing with other ingredients.

Khaw Poat is really tasty for us unfried or unroasted and recently pounded. If we make Khaw Poat we need black and white sticky rice, pounded sesame and brown slab sugar. First, we have to pound the black sticky rice, until soft and tender.

10 pyis or 0.7 bushel of pounded black sticky rice and 20 pyis or 1.4 bushels of white sticky rice are mixed together and clean with water. And then, leave them in water for 3 hours.

After soaking the sticky rice water for 3 hours, is ready to be steamed. We can steam it the traditional way or use the modern method which is to sprinkle the sticky rice with water and then, steamed it, thus saving time.

After that, we will pound the steamed sticky rice. The harmonious movement of the boom as well as the skillfulness of the Shan damsels are a sight to see. While we are pounding the sticky rice, we will have to add in the pounded sesame and salt. We put on oil on the boom and mortar, so that the sticky rice will not stick to them.

While there is mortar which has to be pressed by the leg in order to make the mortar moves up and down. Nowadays, the mortar is also run by machines. Thus, pounding is much easier than before.

In order to cool the hot-pounded sticky rice, they have to be cut into small slices. When sesame is added to the cut slices, we get aromatic and appetizing Khaw Poat.

Every one who visit the Shan State, is sure to buy Khaw Poat as a return home gift and as Khaw Poat is a popular snack among Myanmar, people buy Khaw Poat to consume at home. Thus, the producing of the Khaw Poat has become a full bloom home industry in the Shan State.