The last time I tried dog meat, circa 2020 in Siem Reap, Cambodia, I blogged about it, put it out on social media, and two big things happened. Firstly, I got A LOT of death threats.
Secondly, and because of me, dog meat was declared illegal in Siem Reap. Therefore, most people, when given the opportunity to eat dog meat in Timor-Leste, would have either said no or, at worst, kept it to themselves. Not me, I like to live dangerously.
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Where can you eat dog meat in Asia?
Dog meat has historically been eaten in several parts of Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and parts of Indonesia. In Vietnam, it has traditionally been more common in the north, while in Cambodia it has been sold in certain local markets and specialist establishments.
In Indonesia, consumption is concentrated in particular communities rather than being a nationwide practice. South Korea and North Korea are both HUGE on dog meat, although the former do it more on the down low. And then you have China! Here it is so popular Yulin even has a dog meat festival, while Koreans flock to Yanji for its open dog meat restaurant culture.
Dog meat in Timor-Leste
Dog meat is eaten in parts of Timor-Leste, although how popular it is depends on where you are. Places such as Maliana, Alas, Tilomar and Lolotoe all have a history of it being eaten, whether during communal work, family gatherings or cultural occasions.
In Lolotoe, you can even find cooked dog meat balls being sold for around $1 a portion, while in Maliana it has been available in the market. As for the legality? Well I did not find any evidence that it was illegal, so happy days!
How does dog meat in East Timor taste?
OK, so enough foreplay about dog meat in Timor, why did I eat it, how much did it cost and how did it taste?
Well, the how is pretty simple and, dare I say, funny. Because I am The Street Food Guy and eat plenty of dumb shit, my local partner asked if I wanted to try dog meat for $1. Apparently, they sell it at the side of the road for a mere buck. I could have eaten it on site, but decided to save it for when we reached Com Beach and I could wash it back with a Timorese Coke.
So, the taste! It’s basically a curried dark meat that tastes like it could be goat (maybe it was), while also being a little bit gamey. And you know it costs a dollar, so as you might expect, it’s not exactly high-grade meat.
I can, though, now count off Cambodia, Vietnam, South Korea, North Korea and finally Timor-Leste as places where I have now eaten dog. It’s a ruff life….
