34.1 C
Vientiane
Friday, August 1, 2025
spot_img

Luang Prabang’s Sai Oua Ranked Among World’s Top 20 Cooked Sausages of 2025

This Week

Luang Prabang’s traditional sausage made it in the top 100 Cooked Sausages in the World of 2025.

Ranking 18th, Sai Oua Kheuang (herbal sausage) is commonly found in local markets, where it’s normally grilled over a charcoal stove. As the oil drips down, it fuels the fire, helping cook the herb-seasoned meat to perfection, earning it a spot among the world’s top 20 cooked sausages for its flavorful blend of ingredients.

Stuffed Intestine, Stuffed Lao Taste

Annakone ‘Sing’ Sengsoulay, a 37-year-old woman originally from Luang Prabang, has been making Sai Oua for nearly 10 years and opened her small business that has gained popularity among foreigners and local people for her sausage recipe.

“I think what makes Sai Oua unique is the story behind it,” she said. “It started from our ancestors. This was the best way to preserve food. My grandma has also been making it since she was young.”

Sing explained that there are four main types of Lao sausages: Sai Oua Kheuang (Luang Prabang recipe), sweet sausage, sour sausage, and Sai Oua Luang Prabang.

“Sai Oua Kheuang remains a top seller among both tourists and locals. Its rich, complex flavor makes it a popular and convenient choice,” she noted.

The main ingredients for Sai Oua Kheuang include pork blade, lemongrass, chilis, shallots, green onions, and coriander. These are chopped into small pieces and mixed thoroughly. The blend is then stuffed into cleaned pork intestines before being steamed or boiled. Finally, the sausages are either grilled over charcoal or fried for a different texture.

What also sets Luang Prabang’s Sai Oua apart is that the sausages are not tied into small pieces. Instead, they are kept in their original coiled shape, just as they come when stuffed into the long pig intestine. The mixture is packed in, and the sausage is left whole, long and spiral-shaped, rather than being sectioned off.

When selling it, vendors simply cut off the desired length to match the customer’s request.

Sai Oua kheuang Luang Prabang

She emphasized that Sai Oua Kheuang, to make the original Luang Prabang sausage taste, it  requires only three seasonings: fish sauce, salt, and monosodium glutamate; anything more would alter the traditional flavor, and to enrich herbs that are put in the ingredients. 

Sai Oua Luang Prabang, on the other hand, requires only pork and shallots, along with the same seasonings as Sai Oua Kheuang.

“This one is mostly popular among families since it’s not spicy at all, so children love it,” Sing shared.

Sai Oua Luang Prabang (Photo: Supplied)

With growing interest from both locals and international tourists, Sing hopes to export Lao Sai Oua someday. However, the short shelf life of 3 to 5 days presents a challenge.

“If there is a way to export Lao sausages without them going bad, it would be very nice because of the high demand from foreign markets,” she noted.

The Best Way to Enjoy Sai Oua

Sai Oua is delicious on its own, but it would taste even better when paired with freshly steamed sticky rice and a side of vegetables, locals believe. 

Lao people often enjoy Sai Oua with Lao traditional chili dips like tomato chili sauce, which add a spicy kick.

Another popular pairing is Sai Oua with Tam Mak Houng (papaya salad). The salad’s fresh, tangy flavors balance with the sausage’s savory taste, making it a favorite combination in many Lao households.

But Sai Oua is more than just a tasty dish. It carries deep cultural significance.

This flavorful sausage plays a role in everyday life and important traditions alike. 

It’s commonly served at family meals and also appears during special events like weddings and Baci (Sou Khouan) ceremonies.

It’s even part of the early morning almsgiving tradition, where people offer food to monks as a way of making merit. 

With Lao food gaining more recognition on international platforms, dishes like Sai Oua are helping to highlight the country’s flavors and traditions, one bite at a time.

Latest article