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Sin savanh
Sin savanh (ຊີ້ນສະຫວັນ): sweet sesame beef, oven-dried then fried until chewy
Translated loosely as heavenly meat, sin savanh is the sweet beef jerky of Vientiane, sold in glossy dark strips at the morning market and carried home as a snack, a picnic food or a gift for family upcountry. Thin slices of beef are marinated with garlic, coriander root, sugar and fish sauce, coated in sesame and traditionally dried in the dry-season sun, then flash-fried just before eating, so they turn chewy, caramelised and slightly crisp at the edges. Eat it with sticky rice and a tomato jeow, or alone with cold drinks. Here it dries in a low oven until fully cooked and leathery, which is easier and safer than sun-drying. The common mistake is cutting the beef too thick, so the outside goes hard while the middle stays soft. Chef's tip: freeze the beef for 45 minutes before slicing; it firms up and slices thin as card.
- Total time
- 240 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the beef
- 1 ½ lb beef topside or flanktrimmed of fat and sinew
For the marinade
- 3 coriander rootsor 2 tbsp coriander stems
- 1 tsp white peppercorns
- 4 tbsp sugaror grated palm sugar
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 tbsp white sesame seeds
For frying
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
To serve
- 4 portions cooked sticky rice (optional)
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Wrap 1 ½ lb beef topside or flank and freeze for 45 minutes, until firm but not frozen hard.
45 minStep 2: Slice the beef across the grain into strips 3 mm thick and about 4 cm wide. Thin, even slices dry evenly and cook through.
Step 3: Pound 5 garlic cloves, 3 coriander roots and 1 tsp white peppercorns in a mortar to a smooth paste, then stir in 4 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsp fish sauce and ½ tsp salt until the sugar dissolves.
Step 4: Toss the beef in the marinade until every slice is coated. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Step 5: Heat the oven to 194°F (fan, if you have it) and set wire racks over two lined baking trays. Lay the beef slices on the racks in a single layer, not touching, and scatter both sides with 4 tbsp white sesame seeds, pressing it on.
Step 6: Dry the beef for 2½–3 hours, turning the slices once halfway, until dark, dry to the touch and leathery but still bendy. A slice torn in half should show no raw, wet centre.
180 minStep 7: Cool the dried beef completely. You can store it now in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.
15 minStep 8: To serve, heat ¾ cup vegetable oil in a wok over a medium heat to about 350°F. Fry the strips a handful at a time for 30–60 seconds, until they darken, sizzle and the sesame turns golden; the sugar burns quickly, so watch closely.
8 minStep 9: Drain on kitchen paper and cut into bite-sized pieces with scissors. Serve warm with 4 portions cooked sticky rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 27 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sin savanh take?
- About 240 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 210 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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