Persenda~Dry Meat Cousine of Pashtun Afghan

 

Who is Pashtun or Afghan?

The Pashtuns (also known as Afghan and Pathan) are an ethnic group with populations in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They are generally classified as Eastern Iranians who use the Pashto language and follow Pashtunwali, which is a traditional set of ethics guiding individual and communal conduct1. Passing through a transition, Pashtun was a pastoralist community moving with their livestock around the year following clouds and foliage. Still, almost half of the population of the Pashtuns are either pastoralists (Afghan Kuchi), agro-pastoralists, or small-scale farmers. They are inhabitants of the historical land (the Arya Warsha2) of Central Asia fortified with a rich livestock-keeping culture. They have their culture/way of wearing, food production, processing & conservation, and cooking, etc. They are the custodian of nature and traditions of war and peace.

What is Persenda?

This article is about their unique and special food item, the dry lamb meat; called Persenda. Sometimes this phenomenon is confused with the Landi (which is the process of making Persenda). Persenda2 is commonly made from lamb meat but occasionally can be made from beef, camel meat, and even goat meat. Among the sheep. Some native breeds are highly preferred over others because of their taste, ease of processing, juiciness, and muscle structure.

A sheep carcass ready for cutting and later drying to make Landi or Persenda meat
A sheep carcass ready for cutting and later drying to make Landi or Persenda meat

The process of Making Persenda

Selection of animal

The animal selected for Persenda meat is called the Landi Mazz. The sheep are usually selected/bought 3-4 months before the slaughtering. Free-range grazing in the crop’s aftermath and additional amounts of grains are provided.

First Stage of Persenda

In December (dry and cold) the sheep is slaughtered, the wool is plucked by hands, and the viscera??”s are removed from the abdomen. The cut of the abdomen is then sewn by a wooden stick from a green tree. The carcass is then signed by the flame of bushes.

Deboning and Salting Stage

Now the carcass is washed outside and inside to remove dirt, blood, ashes, etc. The bones of the carcass are removed in a very artistic way and the meat remains in the carcass. Special care is taken not to puncture the skin which can result in drip loss (salt loss) of the carcass. The inside of the carcass is salted and stored in a shady, airy, and dry place for 2-4 days.

landi

Cutting and Drying

The carcass is now cut into pieces and each piece is pierced by a wooden stick like a barbecue stick but the pieces are quite big. The stick is then hung by a pole in the middle of the house which is called the Landi pole. It takes 10-15 days to get completely dry. The pole is protected by thorny bushes to prevent cats etc. from eating Persenda.

Storage of the dry pieces

The dry pieces are stored in a sack /cloth bag usually woven of natural fiber. The bag is then stored in a cold dry room/place. The pieces are taken out according to the needs of the family. The Landi is a special cuisine and is offered to the guests also. Afghan hospitality is very famous and special.

Landi or Persenda meat is very delicious and rich source of energy in the severe cold of the region
Landi or Persenda meat is a very delicious and rich source of energy in the severe cold of the region

Cuisine and cooking

The cooking method is so simple. Initially, the meat is put in hot water for a while to wash the additional salts used for preservation. Later on, it is cooked in a muddy cooker (Kataw). The meat is boiled in water and some herbs and spices are added. The soap (shorwa) prepared from boiling is used to soak the bread pieces in a bowl. The meat is eaten with bread after eating the shorwa meal.

cooked-landi-meat
Cooked Persenda meat,,,, Photo credit Malik Achakzai

Different Stages of Landi

References

  1. Pashtun Afghan; Available online; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pashtuns
  2. Characterization and significance of Raigi camel, a livestock breed of the Pashtoon pastoral people in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Raziq et al /Journal of Livestock Science 2: 11-19: http://livestockscience.in/wp-content/uploads/2011/slutversion_after_revision_av_Raigi_camel_till_J_Livestock_science.pdf
  3. Persenda Ark of Taste; Available online in http://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/ark-of-taste-slow-food/persenda/

Note; for more details, one can contact directly;

Raziq2007@gmail.com

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