I recently got this takoyaki pan-like cast iron griddle which is perfect to make a Burmese street treat called Mont Lin Mayar at home. The name literally translates to “husband-and-wife snack” and this fascinating name roots from the way they are assembled. Individual pieces are first made in separate molds then two pieces are put together to form a complete whole. Every bite into these petite treats never fail to release my inner child, transporting it back to the streets of Yangon and bringing back some heartwarming memories.
They are similar to Thai Khanom Krok and Vietnamese Banh Khot, but our version skips coconut cream and is strictly savory. My recipe for a slightly turmeric-tinged batter requires a 7:1 ratio of regular rice flour and glutinous rice flour, mixed with a handful of chopped cilantro and a speck of freshly squeezed ginger juice. We have two main varieties: a traditional one with steamed yellow peas filling and a more modern variation with quail eggs.
Fried crisp to bubbly and golden on the outside and delicate within, it is best to eat them hot, right off the pan and in one bite! They are sinfully delectable you’ll easily lost count of the number of treats you’ve devoured.
- 7 tbsp. rice flour
- 1 tbsp. glutinous rice flour
- ½ tsp. fresh ginger juice, squeezed from 2 tbsp. of pounded or grated ginger
- 1 cup water
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
- 10 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 5 tbsp. steamed yellow peas
- 12 fresh quail eggs
- 1 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 and 1/3 cup of batter
- 12 halves with pea fillings, thus 6 whole pieces
- 12 pieces with quail egg filling
- Whisk all the dry and wet ingredients in a bowl until the batter is well-blended and smooth.
- Transfer the batter into a measuring cup or pitcher with a spout for easy pouring.
- Put ¼ teaspoon of oil in each mold and generously brush the bottom and the sides.
- Heat the oil till smoking hot.
- Slowly pour the batter into each mold. For the steamed peas, fill the mold ¾ full. For the quail eggs, about halfway.
- The oil will sizzle once the batter is added.
- Top each batter-filled mold with a quail egg or few peas and more chopped cilantro.
- After 3-4 minutes, when the bottom gets firmed, run a small knife or an icing spatula along the bottom.
- Slightly slant each piece and add more oil, about a quarter of teaspoons.
- Continue frying till the exterior is evenly golden and crispy.
- For the pieces with quail eggs, you can remove them from the pan when the eggs are cooked.
- For the pea fillings, slowly flip one piece and place it atop another.
- Once the soft rims of the pair glue each other into one whole piece, remove them from the pan.
- Mont Lin Mayar
- Mont–> Snack
- Lin Mayar-> Husband and Wife
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