Canned Lemidrao Meat

A food staple in Leokolriz, popular for its cheap price and long shelf life.

General Properties

Appearance

The canned meat was a rather smooth mass. It was of a orange-yellow color and solid enough to retain the shape of its container, yet soft enough to be deformed with little effort.

Taste

The basic taste was umami with a notable iron flavor. Apart from the salt that was added for preservation, it contained no other seasonings.

Preparation

Core Recipe

The main ingredient were lemidrao caterpillars that were killed during the production of Leokolin Silk. After the harvest, the cocoons were boiled and the raw silk was carefully unraveled. The meat was then finely minced and blended with about a quarter of its weight in salt.
While filling the mixture into aluminium cans, pressure was carefully applied to squeeze out surplus fluids. This not only reduced the risk of the meat spoiling by making it as dry as possible, but also made the preserve more compact and thus easier to store.

Variations

Similar meat preserves have existed throughout Ranul's history, based on countless animal species besides the lemidrao.

Cultural Significance

History

Early Days

Lemidrao meat has been a part of Leokola cooking for at least as long as that species' silk has been harvested. A great part of it was sold under the brand name "ofrao" by a company in Kiv Raopeguri. The name quickly became a synonym for similar preserves throughout Leokolriz.

Turn of the Eras

The preserve became immensely sought-after when the Final War escalated and fresh food was hard to come by. Furthermore, ofrao did not require cooling, which made it ideal for those uncertain times when power outages or sudden evacuations became disturbingly common. While lifestock was kept in some of the government shelters, many survivors relied on such food preserves for years after the war's conclusion.

The Era of Recovery

Products similar to the original ofrao continue to be popular in Rilsu society to this day. They are known as atrof, an abbreviation of roatru ofami ("meaty preserve"). Most grocery stores offer a wide range of variants, from pure meat to blends flavored with herbs, spices or fruit.

Serving Conventions

Ofrao was rarely eaten on its own, but rather used as an ingredient for other meals. Examples included:

• as a bread topping, combined with spicy condiments such as muvi paste
• sliced, marinated and roasted in a pan, then served with vegetables, cooked grains or noodles
• diced and mixed into a soup or stew

Idioms

• "gos ofrao dagi kigi"
  "a character like raw ofrao", meaning that someone is very bland, like the unseasoned meat
• "gos ofrao va hagre"
  "I feel like ofrao", meaning that one feels exhausted, ill, or otherwise weakened after going through a stressful situation

Alternative name(s)

ofa ruatre mi lemidrao
ofrao (popular brand)

Type

meat preserve

Ingredients

lemidrao caterpillars
salt

Consumed by

Leokola
Rilanga

Rarity

very common

Base Price

cheap