Lao Beef Jerky or Sien Savanh. This is a tasty snack served with warm sticky rice and tomato dipping sauce. To some people in Laos, this is a full meal.
I can recall when my mother gave me one tiny piece of beef jerky and a fist full of sticky rice as she sent me on my way to school in Vientiane. That was a meal for my entire day on a good day. If not then it would just be some salt sprinkled on the sticky rice ball.
Lao Beef Jerky
Ingredients:
* 1 pound beef flank steak (thinly sliced into long strips)
* 2 cloves of garlic (grounded)
* 1 tablespoon ginger (chopped and then grounded)
* 1 tablespoon soy sauce
* 2 tablesppons sesame seed
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon black pepper
* 5 cups vegetable oil
Preparation:
Put the beef strips in a large bowl. Add garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame seed, sugard, salt, and black pepper. Mix well and marinate for at least two hours. Then put the beef strips on a tray and dry in the sun for an entire day, turning the strips occasionally to make sure both sides are dried.
When the beef strips are dried to your preference, then heat the oil over medium heat and deep fry the beef strips until lightly cripsy to crispy (your preference). Drain and serve!
Note: Best serve with warm kao neel (sticky rice) and jeo maak len (tomato dipping sauce).