Sai Oua | Lao Sausage
What is Lao Sausage?
Across the streets in Laos, you will find sausages hanging around getting sour or people grilling these herbalicious Lao sausages. These pair perfectly with jeow mak len spicy tomato dip and warm sticky rice. I prefer the uncured sai oua. These are filled with the common Lao aromatics like galangal, lemongrass, lime leaves, fish sauce, and padaek.
The Importance of Lao Sausage in Lao cuisine
Lao sausages have become a symbol for many Lao diaspora across the United States. It has held on to its name “Lao sausage” since many people can distinguish this sausage from others. This food is one of the gateway foods to other Lao dishes. I haven’t met one person that doesn’t love Lao sausages. The sausages have become a game changing in uplifting the cuisine.
What does Lao sausage taste like?
Lao sausage has a distinctive and unique flavor as it incorporates all the flavors of Lao cuisine into each bite. One of the best parts is having the various aromatic flavors melted throughout the filling. With a well made link, the links should be juicy, have texture, and filled with herbs.
Key Ingredients And Their Roles In The Dish
Sai oua is known for its heavy use of herbs and aromatics as it is what creates the delicious flavors with each bite. The other important ingredient is the cooked sticky rice spread throughout the stuffing as it helps balance the texture with the ground pork and bits of pork fat. Lastly, my secret to make the sausage extra delicious is making sure to add padaek unfiltered fish sauce as the funk will bump up all the flavors.
The other ingredients
Ground pork: The best ground pork to use is a thick ground as it will give each link a great texture.
pork belly: Rough cuts of pork belly are great to add with the meat as the fat gives the sausage extra flavor.
Galangal: Make sure it is minced and look out for the large chunks as it can be very strong.
Lemongrass : When it comes to the aromatics like lemongrass and galangal, you will want to make sure its finely ground and smashed with the use of a mortar and pestle.
shallot: this ingredient doesn’t need to be as smashed as the aromatics since it will soften when its cooked.
green onion: roughly dice the green onion so it is evenly spread in the mixture.
cilantro: do the same as the green onion.
Sticky rice: this is one of the most important ingredients and what makes it a Lao sausage. The sticky rice needs to be cooked and the cooled by putting the cooked sticky rice in water to break up the grains and then mix them into the ground pork.
lime leaves: These leaves can be very strong and fragrant so make sure its minced well.
Garlic cloves: I love using a garlic press as it evenly minces the garlic.
fresh bird eye chili: Depending on your spice level, add your desired amount. Start with a lower amount of peppers as you can always have extra peppers on the side to eat.
oyster sauce: this always brings out the flavors to other proteins hence creating a balanced flavor in the sausage.
Kosher salt: Brings out the flavor.
Granulated sugar: You want the sausage to balance the saltiness with a slight sweetness.
black pepper: Adds the woody pepper flavor.
Padaek: This is one of my secret ingredients because I think the funk brings out the all the flavors of the aromatics.
fish sauce: Adds that extra layer of salt.
Pork casing: Make sure the salt is cleaned well and open each casing and let water run through it.
How to work with sausage casing
Sausage casing can seem intimidating at first to use but once you get all the tips, it will make this process easier. The casing can also be bought online if you can’t find it at your local grocery store. The sausage casing is usually covered with salt to prevent it from spoiling so you want to make sure it is washed well and also let it soak in warm water for a few hours to let the casing expand. Once the casing is ready, put water through the casing.
If you’re using a manual sausage stuffer, place the casing on the tub and then start cranking out the stuffing into the casing and carefully guide the casing out as the sausage is created. I use the LEM brand sausage stuffer. Tie both ends of the stuffed casing and then twist the links to the desired size. With a thin needle, sporadically poke holes in each sausage and then dry it with paper towels.
How to cook Lao sausage
The classic way of cooking Lao sausage is on a barbeque as it will give it grill marks and also infuse that coal flavor. The other way I like cooking the sausages is in an oven for about 20 minutes until its golden brown. The new way of cooking it has been the use of air fryers. It's one of my favorite ways to cook Lao sausages because its an alternative healthy way to replicate deep frying foods but without all that added oil.
Different Variations And Adaptations Of Sai Oua
With the popularity of sai oua, it has created dozens of variations across Laos and even made its influence through other Southeast Asian countries. In Laos, you will find Lao sausage food stands that serve a variation like ones made from beef, ones that are stuffed with a bloody type filling, and ones that are fermented and soured.
A common sausage that is similar to sai oua is the sausage that has less herbs and is soured for a few days and it is usually in circular shapes or smaller sized sausages. This type of sausage is often associated with Issan while sai oua is associated with Lao sausage. There is some confusion on names of the sausages in Laos but here is a simple breakdown: sausage from Laos is called sai oua, sausage from Isaan which is usually soured is called sai gok.
Tips For Making The Best Sai Oua | Lao Sausage
I have tried many Lao sausages across the nation and here are some tips that help make them extra delicious.
I love when the sausages are cut up into pieces and fried; it creates crunchy layer
make sure to dry the sausage after its stuffed to give it that extra snap
you want to use fresh lemongrass and galangal; it makes a big difference!
Serving Suggestions And Traditional Accompaniments
The best thing to eat with Lao sausage is with jeow mak len which is a Lao spicy tomato pepper dip, warm sticky rice, and a side of cabbage, thinly sliced garlic, thinly sliced ginger, fresh bird eye chili peppers, and some roasted peanuts. Each bite should have a little bit of everything for the perfect bite.
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Lao Sausage | Sai Oua
Ingredients
Instructions
- Grind pork belly then place both ground pork and fat in the freezer while preparing other ingredients.
- Rinse salt off the casing with warm water and then let it sit in warm water for 90 mins.
- In a mixer bowl, add galangal, lemongrass, shallots, green onion, cilantro, sticky rice, lime leaves, garlic cloves, bird eye chili, oyster sauce, salt, sugar, black pepper, padaek, and fish sauce then mix until sticky for 3-5 mins. Place mixture in the freezer while preparing the casing.
- Rinse inside of the casing and prepare stuffer.
- Put casing on the tube and leave 3 inches at the end for tying
- Add pork filling to the top and slowly push it through the machine while holding the casing as it fills up
- After the casing is filled, tie both ends
- Cook in an air fryer for 10 mins each side at 400F and flip. Let it rest for 5 mins then cut. Or cook it in the oven for 20-30 mins at 400F and broil for 4-5 mins.
Sabaidee, I’m Saeng!
I’m a personal chef who specializes in Lao food. Here at Saeng’s Kitchen, you’ll find all your favorite traditional Lao foods and also some new twists to Lao style dishes.