Sai oua: Thailand’s answer to curried sausages

Sai oua (or sai ua) is a spicy pork sausage famously hailing from the mountainous area of Chiang Mai. Some say its roots could stem back to Burma and Laos. However, the key point of this culinary attraction is that the sausage derives its flavour from the same base as a red curry paste. So how easy is it to make sai oua?

Although there are a few variations on the recipe, sai oua can be made using some of the basic ingredients featured in khao soi, a traditional curry soup also hailing from the area in Thailand’s north.

In a recent interview, executive chef at Akyra Manor Chiang Mai, Phubase Chuprakong explained to SBS it’s a good idea to make both khao soi and sai oua directly after each other to cut down on food waste and boost your kitchen efficiency. “The paste for sai oua is similar to khao soi paste because it has galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf and turmeric,” Chuprakong says. “Then you make the paste and mix it with the meat or pork and make it into a sausage.”

To make the spicy sausage from scratch, use the dried chilli, fresh turmeric and shallots that are leftover from your khao soi paste. Add lemongrass, a few kaffir lime leaves, shrimp paste, soy sauce and sugar. Mix in your mince of choice – use pork if you want to stick to the authentic recipe. Fill the spicy meat mixture into a sausage casing and grill.

Read more about sai oua in the recent SBS Feature here.