Why does the sausage taste sour?
Because it is made by fermenting pork and rice. It is a sausage that enjoys the tang from fermentation, and the actual strength of the sourness depends on the product and the way it is cooked.
Sai krok Isan
Sai Krok Isan · ไส้กรอกอีสาน
If you want to try the tangy fermented food of Isan, try sai krok Isan. It is a sausage made by fermenting pork, rice, garlic and more. A sour taste from fermentation is added to the savory taste of the meat. If you have tried sai ua, the northern sausage, it is also interesting to compare the two.
Sai krok Isan yai · Takeaway · CC BY-SA 3.0
Resized for display · Photo provided under CC BY-SA 3.0
What does it taste like?
Its features are the savory taste of pork and the tang that comes from fermentation. The strength of the sourness depends on how far it has fermented and on how it is cooked. The raw chilies that come with it can be hot, so try them separately, a little at a time.
Eat the raw chilies that come with it separately, a little at a time.
Dish basics
- Dish name
- Sai krok Isan · Sai Krok Isan
- Thai name
- ไส้กรอกอีสาน
- Type
- Sides and grilled dishes
- Regional link
- Northeastern Thailand · Isan · Isan fermented sausage
- Main ingredients
- Pork, rice, garlic and more are mixed and fermented. The sourness can change with the fermentation and the way it is cooked.
The dish and its region
Sai krok Isan is an Isan dish made by fermenting pork and rice. It is not eaten only in Khon Kaen. Compared with the northern sai ua, which enjoys herb aroma, it is a good way to feel how the ingredients and taste of sausages differ from region to region.
How to order and eat it
- Order sai ua, which has herbs in it, and sai krok Isan, the fermented sausage, as separate dishes.
- Try the cooked sausage a little at a time. If you taste it first, you can tell how sour the fermentation is.
- If raw chilies come with it, rather than eating them all at once, add them a little at a time on the side.
Frequently asked questions
How is it different from sai ua?
Sai ua is a northern sausage grilled with herbs, and sai krok Isan is an Isan sausage made by fermenting pork and rice. If you try both, you can compare the herb aroma and the sourness of fermentation.
More dishes and cities to explore
Official sources
If you want to read more about the food and the regions behind it, these sources are a good next step. Ingredients and cooking methods can differ from one place to the next.
View official sources · 1
Sharing image credit: Takeaway · CC BY-SA 3.0