Sai Ua

Sai Ua is the fragrant, spicy grilled sausage from Northern Thailand, found twisted in large spirals over glowing coals at the markets in Chiang Mai. Unlike most sausages, it's not heavy and greasy, but explodes with fresh aromas: red curry paste, finely chopped lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and plenty of cilantro are kneaded into coarsely ground pork and stuffed into natural casings. When grilled slowly over moderate heat, the skin becomes crispy and golden, while the meat remains juicy and full of herbs. Serve it in thick slices with sticky rice, fresh vegetables, and a strong dip - it's Northern Thai street food worth every hour of effort.

• Cuisine: Thai
• Prep time: 1 hour + grilling time
• Servings: 4 people
• Difficulty: Medium

Instructions

1. Rinse the natural casing thoroughly inside and out under cold water, and soak it in lukewarm water while you prepare the farce.
2. Chop the lemongrass as finely as possible, and finely chop kaffir lime leaves, galangal, garlic, shallots, and fresh cilantro – the finer, the better the aromas will spread.
3. Place the coarsely ground pork in a large bowl along with red curry paste, ground turmeric, fish sauce, and a pinch of sugar.
4. Add all the chopped herbs, and knead the farce thoroughly by hand for a few minutes until it becomes sticky and cohesive.
5. Fry a small spoonful of the farce in a pan and taste it – adjust the fish sauce, curry paste, or sugar until the balance is to your liking.
6. Thread the casing onto a sausage stuffer or a funnel, and carefully stuff the farce into it so that the sausage is evenly filled without air pockets. Twist it into long spirals or appropriate lengths.
7. Prick the sausage with a needle in several places so it doesn't burst during grilling.
8. Grill the sausage over moderate, indirect heat for 20-30 minutes, turning it often, until the skin is golden and crispy, and the meat is cooked through – the core temperature should reach at least 70 degrees Celsius.
9. Let the sausage rest for a few minutes, cut it into thick slices diagonally, and serve with sticky rice, fresh vegetables, and a strong dip.

Tips

• Use meat with a good fat content (approximately 20-30%), otherwise the sausage will be dry – a little fat keeps it juicy on the grill.
• Chop the herbs as finely as you possibly can; it's the fresh amount of lemongrass and kaffir lime that defines sai ua.
• Grill over moderate heat and take your time – too high heat will scorch the skin before the meat is cooked through.
• If you don't have time to stuff casings, the farce can be shaped into flat patties and fried in a pan – or use store-bought Sai Ua sausage as a shortcut.