Sai Oua — Northern Thai Herb & Chilli Sausage Coils

⏱ 120 min · Serves 6

Coiled, smoky and fiercely fragrant, this Chiang Mai street-market classic packs pork with lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime and roasted chilli paste. Grill over charcoal until blistered, then eat with sticky rice, raw cabbage and a squeeze of lime.

Per serving: 505 kcal · 29.0g protein · 6.5g carbs · 40.0g fat

Ingredients

• 800g pork shoulder, coarsely minced (aim for 25% fat)
• 150g pork back fat, finely diced (optional, if mince is lean)
• 3 tbsp red curry paste (or Northern Thai nam prik num style paste)
• 4 stalks lemongrass, tough outer layers removed, very finely minced
• 30g galangal, peeled and finely minced
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 shallots, finely chopped
• 8 kaffir lime leaves, centre rib removed, hair-thin shreds
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 2-4 dried red chillies, soaked and finely chopped, to taste
• 1 small handful coriander, finely chopped
• 1.5m natural hog casings, rinsed and soaked 30 min
• Vegetable oil, for grilling
• To serve: sticky rice, raw cabbage wedges, cucumber, lime wedges, crisp pork skin

Method

1. Rinse the hog casings well, then soak in cool water for at least 30 minutes, flushing water through them once.
2. In a large bowl combine the minced pork, diced back fat, curry paste, lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shallots, kaffir lime leaves, turmeric, salt, fish sauce, sugar, chillies and coriander.
3. Mix vigorously with your hand for 3-4 minutes until the mixture turns slightly sticky and tacky — this helps the sausage hold together. Fry a teaspoon in a pan, taste, and adjust salt and chilli.
4. Chill the mixture for 30 minutes while you fit a casing onto a sausage stuffer or a wide piping nozzle.
5. Stuff the casings loosely — sai oua should not be tight, or it will burst — twisting or tying into long lengths, then coil each into a flat spiral and pin with two skewers crossed through.
6. Prick each coil in several places with a needle. Rest uncovered in the fridge for 30 minutes to dry the surface.
7. Grill over medium, indirect charcoal or on a medium barbecue for 20-25 minutes, turning every 5 minutes and brushing lightly with oil, until deeply browned and cooked through (72C internally). Keep the heat gentle so the fat renders rather than flares.
8. Rest 5 minutes, cut into thick coins and serve with sticky rice, raw cabbage, cucumber and lime.