Grilled Sai Ua – Northern Thai Grilled Sausage with Sticky Rice
In Chiang Mai, Sai Ua is placed on the charcoal grill whole. At the market, it is sliced and eaten with sticky rice, raw vegetables, fresh ginger and peanuts.
Our Sai Ua is already cooked. On the grill, it only needs to be heated through and get a crispy skin.
Ingredients for 2 servings of Sai Ua with sticky rice
Preparation time: approx. 40 minutes (plus soaking the sticky rice overnight)
| Sai Ua | 2 × 250 g |
| Sticky rice, soaked overnight in cold water | 300 g |
| Cabbage, in wedges | ¼ head |
| Cucumber, in thick slices | 1 |
| Ginger, in fine strips | approx. 3 cm |
| Shallots, quartered | 2 |
| Roasted, unsalted peanuts | 50 g |
| Thai chilies | 4 |
| Nam Jim Gai | optional |
Grilling instructions for Sai Ua
- Take the Sai Ua out of the refrigerator 20 minutes before grilling. It is already cooked and only needs to be heated through and get some color.
- Secure the sausage with two wooden skewers crossed. This preserves the shape and makes it easy to turn.
- Heat for 8–10 minutes at medium, indirect heat (approx. 160–180 °C) with the lid closed, turning once.
- Finally, let it crisp up over direct heat for 2–3 minutes. If the skin turns black quickly, the heat is too high.
In the pan: Use a little oil over medium heat, put the lid on, heat for 6–8 minutes, turning several times. In the last few minutes, cook without the lid so that the skin becomes crispy.
Steaming sticky rice
- Drain the soaked rice and spread it in a steamer basket lined with a cloth.
- Steam over boiling water for 25–30 minutes, turning once halfway through.
How to serve
Let the sausage rest briefly and cut diagonally into 1–2 cm thick slices. Arrange on a banana leaf or a large plate with cabbage, cucumber, ginger, shallots, peanuts and chilies. In Thailand, sticky rice is eaten with the hand: form a small ball and eat it together with a piece of sausage and some ginger.
Enjoy your meal, your Yak Thai Team.
