6.172
26 (Fri) June 2015
Sai Ua
3.5
at The Gallery
-Chiang Mai-
solo



Mission to Thailand + Personal Deviation, Day 3 (see previously 6.171 Sweet Sticky Rice with Ripped Mango).
In Chiang Mai. Arrived Wednesday tonight. Here to support a workshop on tobacco and trade, yesterday through today. Hanging around for the weekend. Getting back to Manila on Sunday evening.

Sai ua is a Thai sausage. Minced pork with aromatics (e.g., chilies, ginger, garlic, shallots) and herbs (e.g., holy basil, cilantro, lemongrass). Distinctly northern in style, also found across the border in Lao (see for example 3.271 Larb Gai).

Excellent. Whereas all the sausages that I’ve tried anywhere in the world seem vaguely similar in taste and texture, these were distinctly Mekong in character — explosive flavors — exactly what I would’ve expected from / hoped for in a sausage from Thailand. A bit dry and too spicy for me, but awesome.
