Nang-khem

Name (Thai)

หนังเค็ม

Name (English)

Salty dried fermented buffalo skin

Local name

Nang-khem

Product

Animal

Ingredients

Buffalo skin, salt.

Fermentation

2-3 days.

Storage life

6 months.

Microorganisms

該当なし

Not available

Properties

Black solid, with a salty taste and specific aroma.

Method

Wash the buffalo skin and cut into long pieces 2-3 cm wide. Thoroughly mix the skin pieces with excess salt. Dig a hole in the ground and line the bottom with banana leaves covered with rice husk. Place the mixture of skin and salt on the rice husk. Cover with more rice husk and finally with soil. Leave the skin to ferment for 2-3 days or until there is no aroma of spoilage. Remove the skin from the hole and pound in a mortar (usually a wooden mortar which farmers use to husk the paddy) until it is soft. After sun drying it can be stored for many months.

Production

At home level in the Northeast.

Consumption

Burn the skin to remove the hair then soak in water. Scrape off the burnt part of the skin pieces until the product is pale yellow. The skin can be eaten after grilling. It can also be boiled until soft before further mixing with some vegetables in spicy soup or salad. Nang khem is not popular, since the process is complicated, and it is expensive.