Sai oua, the sausage I was hunting for at the night market, isn’t always fermented, but it is a good example of how fermentation can elevate an already-great dish. It’s made with a combination of ground pork and a good amount of fat, which often comes from either pork belly or boiled pork skin that has been roughly ground or cut into strips. The meat is mixed with lemongrass, galangal, ginger, and garlic, then stuffed into natural casings. In the fermented versions, white rice is added before stuffing, providing the starch and sugars necessary for bacteria to develop. The sausages are then left to ferment for one to two weeks, adding a sour note that complements the other flavors.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service

Web editor: Wang Xiaoxuan

Reviewer1: Zhang Yanlan

Reviewer 2: Pang Bo

Reviewer3:Tang Caihong

English Reviewer: Shen Fei