If you are a sausage lover then you must have already guessed that we are talking about sai krok Isaanand sai ua, favorite quick bites of Thailand’s Northeast and North regions. Meaty, savoury and just bursting with flavours when you bite.
Both sausages are stuffed with naem, which is fermented pork having a characteristic sour taste and thus teasing your taste buds with every bite. Seasoned with garlic, naemcan be eaten raw, used in salads, grilled or used to make sai krok. The recipe hasn’t changed for ages: finely minced pork,garlic and rice vermicelli which are actually used to ferment the meat.
Sai uahas a more complex flavour because of the rich set of spices, including a lot more then just garlic. You can taste a hint of ginger, some citrus and something that resembles curry paste. The texture is also different from the one of sai krok: “rougher” and chewy. Thai taste at its best, especially when served with hot chilies, ginger and fresh veggies.
Sai krok Isaan comes from Thailand’s Northeast and its name means just that: Northeast sausage, while sai ua is a delicacy from Chiang Mai. The best places to try them are street eateries specializing in Northern and Northeastern cuisine, though a local fresh market can do as well. Personally I would recommend the latter.