Beef strips marinated with sesame and sugar, sun-dried and then fried until chewy. It is named for Savannakhet in southern Laos, and drying beef in the dry season kept meat edible for weeks without ice.
The sun-drying is partial: it leaves meat that is not preserved through and depends on being eaten within days and cooked hard. In a humid kitchen the same short dry leaves raw beef sitting warm on a rack.
What goes into it
- beef, cut in thin strips along the grain
- fish sauce and soy
- palm sugar
- sesame seed
- garlic, pepper and coriander root
How it is made
Strips of beef are marinated for several hours in fish sauce, sugar, garlic and sesame, then laid on racks in full sun for a day or two — long enough to dry the surface hard but not to preserve them through. They are stored briefly and deep-fried before eating, which is what actually makes them safe.
How long it takes: a day or two of sun-drying after marinating
How it is eaten
Deep-fried until the edges caramelise, torn and eaten with sticky rice and jaew bong.
History
Named for Savannakhet in southern Laos; drying beef in the dry season kept meat edible for weeks without ice.
Frequently asked questions
What is Sien Savanh?
Sien Savanh is a charcuterie & cured from Laos: beef strips marinated with sesame and sugar, sun-dried then fried until chewy. Named for Savannakhet in southern Laos; drying beef in the dry season kept meat edible for weeks without ice.
How is Sien Savanh made?
Strips of beef are marinated for several hours in fish sauce, sugar, garlic and sesame, then laid on racks in full sun for a day or two — long enough to dry the surface hard but not to preserve them through. They are stored briefly and deep-fried before eating, which is what actually makes them safe. It takes a day or two of sun-drying after marinating.
Can I make Sien Savanh at home?
No, and the atlas gives no method for it. The sun-drying is partial: it leaves meat that is not preserved through and depends on being eaten within days and cooked hard. In a humid kitchen the same short dry leaves raw beef sitting warm on a rack.
What goes into Sien Savanh?
Beef, cut in thin strips along the grain, fish sauce and soy, palm sugar, sesame seed, garlic, pepper and coriander root.
How is Sien Savanh eaten?
Deep-fried until the edges caramelise, torn and eaten with sticky rice and jaew bong.
