''Se'i'' or ''sei'' is an
Indonesian smoked meat from
Kupang,
Timor island,
East Nusa Tenggara,
Indonesia.
''Se'i'' may be derived from a variety of meats, with
pork (''se'i babi''),
beef (''se'i sapi'') or game animals such as
venison (''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 and
spices 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 — a small retail, eatery or café — in Indonesia (and to a lesser extent, Malaysia and Suriname). A ''warung'' is an essential part of daily life in ...
'' in the Timor region. In Kupang, people serve ''se'i'' with ''nasi panas'' (hot
steamed rice), 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
Smoking is the process of flavoring, browning, cooking, or preserving food by exposing it to smoke from burning or smoldering material, most often wood. Meat, fish, and ''lapsang souchong'' tea are often smoked.
In Europe, alder is the tradi ...
meat".
History
This dish is traditionally served and consumed by the people of
East Nusa Tenggara province, especially by
Timorese people
Timor is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, in the north of the Timor Sea. The island is divided between the sovereign states of East Timor on the eastern part and Indonesia on the western part. The Indonesian part, also ...
. 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.
See also
*
List of Indonesian dishes
This is a list of selected dishes found in Indonesian cuisine.
Staple foods
Main dishes Curries
Meals
Soy-based foods
Preserved meats
Rice dishes and porridges Congees and porridges
Rice cake dishes
Rice dishes
Noodle dishes
S ...
*
List of smoked foods
This is a list of smoked foods. Smoking is the process of flavoring, cooking, or preserving food by exposing it to smoke from burning or smoldering material, most often wood. Foods have been smoked by humans throughout history. Meats and fish a ...
*
Babi panggang
References
{{Indonesian cuisine
Kupang
Pork dishes
Indonesian cuisine
Bacon dishes
Smoked meat