''Se'i'' or ''sei'' is an Indonesian

smoked meat Smoked meat is the result of a method of preparing red meat, white meat, and seafood which originated in the Paleolithic, Paleolithic Era. Smoking adds Flavor (taste), flavor, improves the appearance of meat through the Maillard reaction, and ...

from

Kupang Kupang (, ), formerly known as Koepang, is the capital of the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara. At the 2020 Indonesian census, 2020 Census, it had a population of 442,758;Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. the official estimate as o ...

Timor Timor (, , ) is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, in the north of the Timor Sea. The island is Indonesia–Timor-Leste border, divided between the sovereign states of Timor-Leste in the eastern part and Indonesia in the ...

island,

East Nusa Tenggara East Nusa Tenggara (; ) is the southernmost province of Indonesia. It comprises the eastern portion of the Lesser Sunda Islands, facing the Indian Ocean in the south and the Flores Sea in the north, with a total land area of 47,238.07 km2. It cons ...

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

. ''Se'i'' may be derived from a variety of meats, with

pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig animal husbandry, husbandry dating back to 8000–9000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooke ...

(''se'i babi''),

beef Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). Beef can be prepared in various ways; Cut of beef, cuts are often used for steak, which can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness, while trimmings are often Ground beef, grou ...

(''se'i sapi'') or game animals such as

venison Venison refers primarily to the meat of deer (or antelope in South Africa). Venison can be used to refer to any part of the animal, so long as it is edible, including the internal organs. Venison, much like beef or pork, is categorized into spe ...

(''se'i rusa'') as common offerings. Today, the most popular se'i meat is pork. ''Se'i'' uses thin, sliced cuts of meat utilizing a mixture of

salt In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...

and

spices In the culinary arts, a spice is any seed, fruit, root, Bark (botany), bark, or other plant substance in a form primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of pl ...

and smoked. Texturally, it is comparable to bacon, albeit thicker. This dish is easily found in restaurants and ''

warung A warung ( old spelling: waroeng or warong) is a type of small family-owned business — small retail, eatery, or café — in Indonesia. A ''warung'' is an essential part of daily life in Indonesia. Over time, the term ''warung'' has sh ...

'' in the Timor region. In Kupang, people serve ''se'i'' with ''nasi panas'' (hot

steamed rice Cooked rice refers to rice that has been cooked either by steaming or boiling. The terms steamed rice or boiled rice are also commonly used. Any variant of Asian rice (both indica and japonica varieties), African rice or wild rice, glutino ...

), accompanied with '' sambal lu'at'' and '' jagung bose''.

Etymology

The name of ''Se'i'' derives from the local language of East Nusa Tenggara that means " smoked meat".

History

This dish is traditionally served and consumed by the people of

province, especially by Timorese people. In the dry climate of Timor island, the traditional smoking method is employed to preserve meats and to increase the nutritional and economic value of the meats. ''Se'i'' has been historically made from Timorese deer ('' Cervus timorensis''), but this practice has ceased due to a decline in population and its consecutive endangered status. Beef and pork are largely the main ingredients of ''Se'i'', and are the preferred meat choices for both locals and tourists. The number of restaurants serving ''se'i'' that have appeared outside of East Nusa Tenggara, such as in Jakarta and Bali, have also contributed to its popularity.

References

{{Indonesian cuisine Kupang Pork dishes Indonesian cuisine Bacon dishes Smoked meat

Etymology

History

See also

References