 A plate of grilled sai ua | |
| Course | Sausage |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Laos |
| Region or state | Southeast Asia specifically Northern Thailand, Northeastern Burma, and Laos |
| Associated cuisine | Myanmar, Lao and Thailand |
| Main ingredients | Pork, red curry paste |
Sai ua (Thai: ไส้อั่ว, Lao: ໄສ້ອົ່ວ, pronounced [sâj ʔùa]) is a grilled pork sausage from northern Thailand, northeastern Myanmar and northern Laos. In Thailand, it is also known as northern Thai sausage or Chiang Mai sausage that is a standard food of the northern provinces[1] and has become very popular in the rest of Thailand as well.[2] Its name in Thai and Lao comes from sai (intestine) and from ua (to stuff).[3] In Shan State, Myanmar, this sausage is known as sai long phik.[4] In Laos, sai ua is an ancient word for a Lao sausage type that originated from Luang Prabang, an ancient royal capital located in the northern part of the country.[5] Sai ua was listed in a collection of favorite dishes for the former Lao royal family written by Phia Sing (1898-1967), the king's personal chef and master of ceremonies[6] and today is one of several popular traditional Lao dishes.[7]
Sai ua contains minced pork meat, herbs, spices, and kaeng khua red curry paste.[8] It is usually eaten grilled with sticky rice and other dishes or served as a snack or starter. Traditionally sai ua was a homemade sausage, but today it is readily available in shops.[9]
