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.

This is something I never understood about sin haang:

Why does it need to be dried?

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.

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


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.

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.