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 Sliced Laotian sai oua | |
| Alternative names | Sai ua |
|---|---|
| Type | Sausage |
| Place of origin | Laos,Thailand |
| Region or state | Southeast Asia, specificallyNorthern Thailand, NortheasternBurma, andLaos |
| Associatedcuisine | Myanmar,Lao, andThai |
| Serving temperature | hot |
| Main ingredients | |
Sai oua, sometimes also known asLaotian sausage (Lao:ໄສ້ອັ່ວ,pronounced[sȁjʔūa], alsosai ua:Thai:ไส้อั่ว,pronounced[sâjʔùa];Northern Thai:ไส้อั่ว,pronounced[sa᷇jʔùa];Northeastern Thai:ไส้อั่ว,pronounced[sàjʔúa]), is a popular type ofsausage made inLaos,Myanmar, andThailand, particularly innorthern Thailand and northernLaos. It is prepared from coarsely chopped fatty pork seasoned withlemongrass,galangal,kaffir lime leaves,shallots,cilantro, chilies, garlic, salt,sticky rice andfish sauce.
"Lao sausage" is a broad term used to describe the local variant of Lao-style sai oua sausages found in Laos, and northern and northeastern Thailand. InShan State, Myanmar, this sausage is known assai long phik.[1] In Thailand, it is also known asnorthern Thai sausage orChiang Mai sausage.[2] Sai oua is a standard food of Thailand's northern provinces[2] and has become popular in the rest of Thailand as well.[3]
Sai ua contains minced pork meat, herbs, spices, andkaeng khua red curry paste.[4] It can include coarsely chopped fatty pork seasoned with lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, shallots, cilantro, chilies, garlic, salt, sticky rice and fish sauce.[5][6]
The sausage is either fermented,[7][8] dried and roasted,[6] or grilled before serving. It is usually eaten with sticky rice or served as a snack or starter. Traditionallysai ua was a homemade sausage, but today it is readily available in shops.[9][better source needed]
Sai oua is an ancient Lao word for sausage,[10] literallysai (intestine)oua (stuffed).[citation needed]
The spicy sausage originates from Luang Prabang, Laos.[11][12][13] Luang Prabang was once the royal capital and seat of power of the Kingdom ofLan Xang (1353–1707). The ancient city ofLuang Prabang is considered to be the cradle of Lao culture and cuisine.[14][15][16] At the height of its power, Luang Prabang's influence stretches from the borders ofSipsongpanna (China) toSteung Treng (Cambodia), from the eastern border along theAnnamite Range withVietnam to the western borderKhorat Plateau (Northeastern Thailand) and its sister kingdom ofLan Na.[17][18]
Sai ua was listed in a collection of favorite dishes for the former Lao royal family written byPhia Sing (1898–1967), the king's personal chef and master of ceremonies[19] and today is one of several popular traditional Lao dishes.[20]
There are two types ofsai oua in Laos:
The traditional recipe forsai oua moo served to Laotian royalties can be found in a collection of hand written recipes fromPhia Sing (1898–1967), the king's personal chef and master of ceremonies. Phia Sing's hand written recipes were compiled and published for the first time in 1981.[19]
Tong Tem Toh inChiang Mai, Thailand drew international attention for itshors d'oeuvre plate featuringsai oua.[21]
Sai oua is also prepared in the Western diaspora of Thai and Lao people. Goldee's BBQ inFort Worth, Texas serves a smokedsai oua ("Lao sausage") based on Laotian American owner Nupohn Inthanousay's family recipe.[22][23] At Blackstack Brewery inSaint Paul, Minnesota, Soul Lao serves their version of the sausage.[24] Kao Soy inBrooklyn, New York was named "Best of New York" byNew York magazine in 2015 for its northern Thaisai oua.[25] Estrella Dam National Restaurant Awards-winner Singburi inLondon is noted for their ownsai oua.[26]
TasteAtlas, a global food and travel guide known for ranking traditional dishes from around the world, released its list of the Top 100 Best Sausages in the World in July 2025. Laotian sai oua ranked at No. 12, earning 4.3 stars,[27] and the Northern Thai version at No. 49, earning 3.9 stars.[28]
Similar sausages in Lao cuisine includesai gork (Lao:ໄສ້ກອກ, "soured Lao sausage"),[29]sai gork wan (Lao:ໄສ້ກອກຫວານ; sweet sausage),sai gork leuat (Lao:ໄສ້ກອກເລືອດ;blood sausage),naem (Lao:ແໜມ; sour sausage) andmam (Thai:หม่ำ; beefliver sausage).[citation needed]
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| Fresh sausage | |||||
| Dry sausage |
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| Smoked sausage | |||||
| Cooked sausage | |||||
| Cooked smoked sausage | |||||
| Precooked sausage | |||||
| Grilled sausage | |||||
| Related articles | |||||
