Shwe Yin Aye: The King of Desserts

A coconut cream sherbet after dinner? Many people in Myanmar will never turn it down! And neither would I!

For many people, Burmese food does not initially rank up there with the more famous cuisines of neighbouring Thailand or India. However, when you get to travel the country for a while, you cannot help but learn a little about the food the locals eat. I enjoyed a breakfast dish named Mohinga, and tried a few local curries in Yangon, but my favourite Burmese food of all was a delectable dessert called Shwe Yin Aye.

Shwe Yin Aye is a coconut cream-based dessert that can also be served as a snack during the day. I found that it usually comes with some white bread to soak up the coconut cream. Locals in Bagan and Yangon can be seen eating this roadside without a care in the world, and what better way to immerse yourself in the local community than to taste the local food?! Make your own Shwe Yin Aye at home with this simple recipe!

On many occasions, I finished my meals with this dessert, which is a combination of cendol, sago, seaweed agar agar, glutinous rice and white bread served in coconut milk. I am a huge fan of Asian desserts in general, so Shwe Yin Aye cold dessert tasted really good to me (and looked good!). However, some people may consider it too rich, and perhaps not something to eat just before bedtime. If Shwe Yin Aye is not your thing, hunt down some traditional shaved ice (ais kacang) instead.

But as far as the Burmese are concerned, Shwe Yin Aye really is the King of Desserts!