Ingredients
Meat
- 1.2 kgpork shoulder, coarsely hand-chopped
- 300 gpork back fat, finely diced
Kroeung paste
- 4 stalkslemongrass, very finely sliced
- 1 headof garlic
- 6shallots
- 1large thumb galangal
- 8kaffir lime leaves, very finely shredded
- 1 tspturmeric
- 8dried red chillies, soaked
Seasoning
- 3 tbspfish sauce
- 1 tbsppadaek, if you have it
- 2 tspsalt
- 1 tbspsugar
- 2 tspground white pepper
- a large handful of coriander, chopped
- 4spring onions, sliced
Casings
- 3m natural hog casings, soaked and rinsed
Equipment
- a sausage stuffer or a funnel
- butcher’s string
- a charcoal grill
Directions
- Cut it into thin slices, then strips, then chop across. Aim for pieces about four or five millimetres. Dice the back fat finely and separately. The fat should be visible as distinct pieces in the finished sausage.
- Put the meat and fat in the freezer for twenty minutes first. Warm fat smears rather than staying in distinct pieces. Work quickly and return it to the fridge if it warms. Slice the lemongrass extremely finely before pounding.
- Pound the lemongrass in a mortar first, since it is toughest. Add the galangal and pound it in. Add the garlic, shallots and soaked chillies. Add the ground turmeric as well. Work it into a coarse thick paste. Shredding the lime leaves is done separately. Roll the kaffir lime leaves tightly. Slice them into the finest threads you can manage. Mixing the sausage meat is done by hand.
- Put the chopped pork and fat in a large bowl. Add the pounded paste and the shredded lime leaves. Add the fish sauce, padaek, salt, sugar and white pepper. Mix it thoroughly with your hands for three or four minutes. It should become sticky and cohesive. Stir in the coriander and spring onions at the end. Fry a small patty of the mixture in a pan.
- Taste it and adjust the salt, chilli and fish sauce. It should be strongly seasoned and intensely aromatic. Cover it and refrigerate it for at least four hours. Preparing the casings takes a little work. Rinse the salted casings thoroughly inside and out. Soak them in warm water for at least an hour. Stuffing the sausage needs a steady hand.
- Prick any air bubbles with a pin as you go. The surface dries slightly, which helps it grill. Set the grill high above the coals. Lay the coil out on the grill. Turn it every four or five minutes. Grill it for twenty-five to thirty-five minutes. It must cook slowly, since it is thick and packed with fat.
- Cut into the very thickest part. There should be no pink meat left anywhere. Let it rest for about five minutes. Cut it into thick diagonal slices. Serve it with sticky rice and a plate of raw herbs. It keeps for three days in the fridge, cooked.
Technique
- Hand-chop the pork rather than mincing it, since a mincer gives a pasty texture.
- Shred the kaffir lime leaves into fine threads, as coarse pieces are tough to chew.
- Grill slowly over embers, since fierce heat splits the casing before the middle cooks.
Substitutions
- Fatty pork belly in place of separate shoulder and back fat.
- Formed patties if you have no casings or stuffer.
Variations
- Made as patties rather than in casings.
- Smoked over wood after grilling, for keeping.
- Made hotter, with more dried chilli.
History
A grilled Lao sausage packed densely with lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaf and chili, most strongly associated with northern Laos, particularly Luang Prabang, where the abundance of fresh aromatic herbs in local markets shaped a sausage tradition built far more heavily around herb content than fat or filler compared to many other regional sausages. Its specific spice and herb combination is treated as a mark of a good cook’s skill and personal signature, with households and vendors closely guarding their particular balance of ingredients as a point of pride and reputation. Sai oua is traditionally grilled over charcoal, and the smoky char from that cooking method is considered an essential part of the finished sausage’s flavour rather than an incidental effect.
Frequently asked questions
What is Sai Oua?
Sai Oua is a snack from Laos: coarse pork sausage perfumed with lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime. A grilled Lao sausage packed densely with lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaf and chili, most strongly associated with northern Laos, particularly Luang Prabang, where the abundance of fresh aromatic herbs in local markets shaped a sausage tradition built far more heavily around herb content than fat or filler compared to many other regional sausages. Its specific spice and herb combination is treated as a mark of a good cook’s skill and personal signature, with households and vendors closely guarding their particular balance of ingredients as a point of pride and reputation. Sai oua is traditionally grilled over charcoal, and the smoky char from that cooking method is considered an essential part of the finished sausage’s flavour rather than an incidental effect.
How long does Sai Oua take to make?
Sai Oua takes 1 hour plus overnight chilling of preparation and 40 min of cooking. The recipe makes 1.5 kg of sausage. It is rated hard to make.
What can I substitute in Sai Oua?
Yes, within limits. Fatty pork belly in place of separate shoulder and back fat. Formed patties if you have no casings or stuffer.
What is the most important thing to get right in Sai Oua?
Put the meat and fat in the freezer for twenty minutes first. Warm fat smears rather than staying in distinct pieces. Work quickly and return it to the fridge if it warms. Slice the lemongrass extremely finely before pounding.
