With the monsoon announcing its arrival in Hyderabad, I decided to go out for a ride around Gachibowli hoping to feast on some food to complement the rains. A bowl of Khow Suey would be just the perfect dish for the lovely weather. As if on cue, my bike swerved towards a small shop called Burmese Planet tucked in a corner amongst the many food trucks parked in the area.
But little did I know that I’d find the Khow Suey’s distant South cousin instead, the Atho. The last time I had Atho was on the streets of North Chennai where it has become a common street food. Yet there is so much deep history packed into this simple bowl of rice noodles.
I learned that there was a period during the British Raj when the Chettiar community had established themselves as prominent moneylenders in Burma. During the civil unrest, they fled Burma (now Myanmar) and set up their business in what is now known as the Burma Bazar in North Chennai. However, not all those who came back were traders. Some of them set up food stalls inspired from Burmese food and gave birth to the dish that is now called Atho.
Atho derives its nomenclature from ‘A Thoke’, a Burmese word for salad. The noodles are handmade from rice and thicker than the ones you get in the numerous Chinese bandis. While the noodles you get in the desi-chinese stalls is a mix of spices and ajino moto, the Atho has redeemed itself as a healthy alternative.
The Atho is a mix of colored rice noodles of orange and white. These are then tossed in fresh vegetables consisting of cabbage, carrots, onions, potatoes and lots of coriander. The minimal use of oil is the best part about having the Atho which is served along with a soup. The soup again is very thick with almost a meat-ish like flavor. This was one flavor that I had a hard time discerning until the person behind the counter informed me that it’s banana plantain soup!
But what makes the Atho really tasty and different is the use of fried onions. Sure the Khow Suey itself uses fried onions as a garnish but the Atho brings in the Indian flavors having been deep fried with spices.
I’ve known people to dig into this one-bowl meal during breakfasts, lunch and dinner too. Also do have a Burmese style boiled egg which is topped off with lots of fried onions and coriander.
— The writer is a well-known food blogger. His Instagram handle is @fooddrifter
