Abon is Indonesian meat floss — beef, chicken, or fish that has been braised until falling apart, then shredded finely and dry-fried until each strand is individual, crisp, and light as cotton candy. It is a preservation technique (the completely dehydrated floss keeps for weeks) and a texture technique (the wispy, cloud-like strands melt on the tongue and dissolve into rice). Chinese *rousong* (肉鬆) is the direct relative.
INDONESIAN CUISINE — DEEP EXTRACTION BATCH 4