I’m not a New Year’s resolution kind of gal. And you won’t be seeing me sign up for a juice cleanse anytime soon. Mother Nature gave me her own version of the juice cleanse over the holidays that left me with my head in the toilet for four days. By the time January 1 came around, I was ready to give up my Gatorade and chicken broth diet for real food.
I was all too excited to cook the recipes I had earmarked over the break in Burma, Naomi Duguid’s hot new cookbook that so many people have been praising. As a self-proclaimed adventurous eater, I take pride in the fact that I prefer ‘authentic’ cuisine over the watered-down American fusion version and can handle a serious amount of spicy heat. I have built up my sense of pride only to show you how far the mighty fell last week. I did make a multi-course meal’s worth of recipes from Burma, in the hopes of sharing a Burmese dinner party idea with you. A few bites in, I threw it all away. The flavors were way too much for me. This is not Duguid’s fault — I’m convinced I was just not strong enough for it.
Although my first stab at the recipes in this book was a disaster, I was inspired by the ingredients and came up with an American interpretation of a Burmese soup and salad for a simple and healthy meal. This is a dinner party menu that will please all of the people still holding on to their New Year’s resolution and those who have already fallen off the wagon. The strong flavors distract the mind from the absence of any butter, sugar, or carbohydrates. Give it a try. And, if you a truly adventurous eater, pick up a copy of Burma. The recipes are authentic and full of surprisingly original flavor profiles (assuming you are not familiar with Burmese cuisine).
Spicy grapefruit salad
Lemongrass-chicken soup
Optional dessert–assortment of fruit
Make chile and shallot oil (optional)
Prep grapefruit slices and cook chicken, if pressed for time on the day of
Make soup
Make salad
Click here for the recipes.
