Sai ua
Photo: Takeaway · CC BY-SA 3.0

History

Sai ua is the everyday flavour of the north, sold by weight from coiled rings at every Chiang Mai market. Its dense herb-and-spice paste, heavy on lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaf, turmeric and dried chilli, reflects the Shan and Burmese influence that separates Lanna cooking from the milder central Thai plate. Traditionally it was a way to use and preserve pork, seasoned generously and grilled slowly over coals until the casing blisters. Warorot Market stalls like Dam Rong built reputations on their recipes, and today sai ua travels home with visitors as the north's edible souvenir.

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Make it at home

Yield Makes about 8 sausagesHands-on 30 minTotal 1 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 600g coarsely chopped fatty pork shoulder
  • 3 tbsp red curry paste
  • 3 stalks lemongrass, finely sliced
  • 4 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
  • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • Sausage casings

Method

  1. Mix the pork with curry paste, lemongrass, lime leaf, coriander, turmeric and fish sauce until sticky.
  2. Rest the mixture 30 minutes in the fridge to let the flavours bind.
  3. Rinse the casings and stuff loosely, coiling into a flat spiral and pricking out air pockets.
  4. Grill slowly over medium charcoal, turning often, 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through and blistered.
  5. Rest briefly, then slice on the diagonal and serve with sticky rice and nam prik.

Tip from the editors. Keep the pork coarse and fatty; a lean, fine mince gives a dry, springy sausage instead of the loose, juicy northern texture.

Where to eat sai ua

Sai ua in Chiang Mai

Sai Ua Dam Rong ★ 4.3

฿ Northern ThaiChang KhlanCash only

The famous Warorot Market sausage stall, coiling lemongrass-and-herb sai ua sold by weight alongside pork rinds and chili dips, the benchmark for the dish.

TrySai ua (northern herb sausage)

Directions

Huen Muan Jai ★ 4.6

฿฿ Northern ThaiChang Phueak

A garden Lanna house and longtime Michelin Bib Gourmand, plating northern curries, herb sausage and smoky chili dips under its wooden garden pavilions.

SignatureGaeng hang lay, Sai ua, Nam prik noom

Directions

Tong Tem Toh ★ 4.3

฿฿ Northern ThaiNimman

The teak-and-brick Nimman courtyard where students and tourists queue for a broad northern menu of herb sausage, chili dips and sticky rice.

SignatureSai ua, Nam prik ong, Grilled pork neck

Directions

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