Laotians have been drying meats for preservation since thousands of years ago.

Thin slices of beef are marinated and dried slowly in the sun for no more than a day. After this period the dried meat is ready for consumption by deep frying.


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Oh man, I love beef jerky.   :)

This is something I never understood about sin haang:

Why does it need to be dried?

Larb Dip wrote on 29^th May, 2011 at 7:28pm:

This is something I never understood about sin haang: Why does it need to be dried?

It absorbs all the flavor you put in.  When you deep fry it or grill it, man oh man...it's delicious with jael or tom mok huong or tom mok toua. :)  I make these all the time during the summer.  But, I would never ever ever leave it hanging in the open like this.  I know because I've dealt with my Aunt's maggot infested jerky before when she left it out as shown in the picture.  I don't know where people think it's safe to leave out like that, regardless how much salt or oil you put on it.  it's nasty.

I wouldn't leave it out like that either.

The purpose of drying meat is not only just for the flavour. It makes the meat last much longer, especially for poorer people and farmers. "Seen Haang" originated from rural Laos.

OMD wrote on 29^th May, 2011 at 8:45pm:

it's delicious with jael or tom mok huong or tom mok toua. :).

Hey, you Yanks ;) consume the bean version too? It must be authentic Lao then. All this time, I thought it was an improvisation like our dum kalot (carrots). I've already mentioned earlier that maak houang is hard to come by in NZ, hence the substitute.


Admin Saovaluck wrote on 29^th May, 2011 at 10:23pm:

It makes the meat last much longer, especially for poorer people and farmers.

How?

Larb Dip wrote on 30^th May, 2011 at 2:04am:

OMD wrote on 29th May, 2011 at 8:45pm: it's delicious with jael or tom mok huong or tom mok toua. :). Hey, you Yanks ;) consume the bean version too? It must be authentic Lao then. All this time, I thought it was an improvisation like our dum kalot (carrots). I've already mentioned earlier that maak houang is hard to come by in NZ, hence the substitute. Admin Saovaluck wrote on 29th May, 2011 at 10:23pm: It makes the meat last much longer, especially for poorer people and farmers. How?

Nearly all the products (fruits and vegetables) they have in Laos we have it here now. The Hmong farmers have been bringing in the seeds and start growing them here. As for green papaya, we import it mainly from Mexico. Kai and also Kai pan, we import it from Laos or just ask our relatives from Laos to send it. As for Tao similar to Kai, we have them here. It's not sold in stores you just have to know where the river that produces it and get it there. ;D

In the past or even now many families still don't have refrigeration. This is the only option for them to maintain shelf life for the meat. As long as the meat is kept completely dry (inside and out) and at certain room temperature it can last up to a month or two. That's one benefit for being poor, survival knowledge kicks in. :)

I don't know if you are familiar with the fish "Tilapia"also. I'm pretty sure you do it's common now. Back then in Vietnam they call it "poor mans fish", that's where it originated from. The fish is very cheap (tasteless) but healthy, and it doesn't have any fishy odor to it either. Due to it's popularity, it's now the biggest industry in world. It's crazy how a poor man's food can have an impact on the entire world. :)