Tomato Relish...kha yun chin thee chet

Every Myanmar cook knows how to cook this and each one has a different method I think. As usual mine is probably the easy way. This is actually a dip of sorts eaten with rice and fresh or parboiled vegetables . A proper Myanmar meal will have either fermented fish dip ,nga pi yay, or this relish. 

Chop onion, garlic and tomatoes into small pieces. Some proper cooks like to peel the tomatoes. I think it is more interesting with bits of peel in it. Up to you, really. Some like to add dried , pounded shrimp.I don't like the fishy smell so left it out. I also left out the fish paste, nga pi, for the same reason. Instead I used fish sauce.

Heat some oil, a bit more in this dish, about four tablespoons, and add the oninos, garlic and tomatoes together with some chilli powder, tumeric powder and fresh uncut chillies. Once the oinons look clear and tomatoes are wilted, add some fish sauce. I used about two tablespoonfuls. How salty you want depends on your individual taste. You can always correct it later. Of course once it is too salty, you can't do anythng about it!!!

Add a small cup of water and cover and simmer the relish on medium heat.

After about ten minutes, everything should have melded together and the oil turned. Taste and add more fish sauce if needed. It should be slightly salty, slightly spicy and slightly oily. Now cover the relish with cut up coriander leaves and remove from heat. If you leave the pan on the heat the leaves will wilt and brown, not a pretty sight. You want them fragrant and still slightly green.

Serve with fresh cucumbers, green mango slices, blanched long beans , carrots, cauliflower and cabbage.

I personally love it mixed with rice like a salad. Looking at this pic, I actually need to go eat it now.............