Sai Ua

Pailin Chongchitnant’s selected sai ua is a northern Thai pork mixture seasoned with its own aromatic curry paste. This preparation selects her pan-fried patties, one of the forms she offers alongside stuffed or caseless sausages.

Dried arbol chilies are ground finely, then combined with galangal, the lower part of a lemongrass stalk, fresh turmeric, shallot and garlic. Shrimp paste and fish sauce belong to the same blended seasoning mixture, with makrut zest offered as an optional addition.

The paste is kneaded through fatty ground pork before minced makrut leaves, chopped cilantro and green onion enter. The central stems are removed from the lime leaves before they are cut.

The pork mixture rests in the refrigerator before it is shaped into patties. A skillet coated with a little oil browns both faces in the selected written pan-frying route.

Chongchitnant describes sai ua as an appetizer or part of a main meal, often served in Thailand with fresh crunchy vegetables and sticky rice. Its curry paste and chopped herbs give this northern version a different character from a plain pork patty.