Sai Ua is the sausage you'll smell grilling long before you see it, coiled up over charcoal at markets throughout Northern Thailand. It's made with pork mince worked through with a fistful of fresh herbs, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf and coriander root, plus a good hit of chilli paste for depth.
Traditionally it's stuffed into natural casings and grilled until the skin is blistered and the inside stays juicy, but you can just as easily shape it into patties if casings aren't your thing. Either way, the flavour is unmistakably Northern Thai.
Slice it up and serve with sticky rice, fresh cabbage and a wedge of lime for a proper Chiang Mai-style feast at home.
