Thai sausage rolls
(Pictured above)
This fun twist on the classic sausage roll mixes seasoned pork with the boldness of lemongrass, coriander and Thai spices, all wrapped in flaky pastry. You can prepare these sausage rolls ahead of time and freeze them before baking. Simply bake from frozen and add five to 10 minutes to the cooking time.
Prep 20 min
Cook 25–30 min
Makes 12
2 puff pastry sheets
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Black or white sesame seeds
Smoky tomato chilli sauce, to serve (recipe below)
For the filling
1kg pork shoulder, coarsely minced (or a mix of pork shoulder and pork belly for added fat)
200g pork fat, finely chopped (optional, but adds juiciness)
1½ tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1½ tbsp sugar
2 tbsp finely shredded makrut lime leaves
2 tbsp finely chopped lemongrass
Small handful of chopped coriander
Small handful of chopped spring onions
4–5 tbsp nam prik sai oua (sai oua curry paste, recipe below)
Prepare the filling. In a large bowl, combine the pork, fat (if using), fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, makrut lime leaves, lemongrass, coriander and spring onions. Add the nam prik (curry paste) and mix thoroughly until evenly combined. Adjust the seasoning as you like – I would add more curry paste to make it spicier.
To assemble, preheat the oven to 200C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Lay the pastry sheets on a clean surface and place half the filling in a log shape along the centre of each sheet. Fold the pastry over the filling to enclose it, pressing the edges to seal. Slice each log into six pieces to make 12 sausage rolls.
Transfer the sausage rolls to the prepared baking tray, seam-side down. Brush the tops with the beaten egg, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is cooked through. Let the sausage rolls cool slightly before serving. They can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature. Serve with smoky tomato chilli sauce.
Sai glork ‘Bunnings’ AKA Thai Bunnings-style sausage
For those who don’t know, Bunnings is an Australian hardware chain that regularly hosts fundraising barbecues where punters can buy a sausage on white bread with irregularly cooked onions and cheap tomato sauce. I would recommend eating this with fluffy white bread (or khanom pang, sweet bread), grilled onions and smoky tomato chilli sauce for a seriously jazzed up “Bunnings” snag.
Prep 20 min
Cook 15 min
Serves 4
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, sliced into rings
1 tbsp soy sauce
4 slices white bread, to serve
Smoky tomato chilli sauce, to serve (recipe below)
Coriander to garnish (optional)
For the sausage mince
500g pork mince
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp finely chopped lemongrass
1 tbsp crushed garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander stems
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp white pepper
1 tbsp finely shredded makrut lime leaves
4 sausage casings, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes (optional)
First, prepare the sausages. Preheat your barbecue or grill to a medium heat. Combine all the sausage mince ingredients thoroughly, then with damp hands form into sausage shapes about 10 to 12cm long, pressing together firmly so they won’t fall apart during grilling. If using sausage casings, rinse them thoroughly after soaking and fill with the sausage mince (use a sausage stuffer or a piping bag fitted with a large nozzle), then prick a few small holes in each to avoid bursting while grilling. Grill the sausages for 10 to 15 minutes, turning regularly until fully cooked and slightly charred on the outside.
Next, fry the onions. While the sausages cook, heat the oil in a frying pan and add the sliced onions. Brush with the soy sauce and stir-fry for five to seven minutes until caramelised and slightly charred.
To serve, place a grilled sausage on a slice of white bread and add a generous amount of fried onions on top. Drizzle with smoky tomato chilli sauce and garnish with fresh coriander if using, and serve immediately.
Smoky tomato chilli sauce
Prep 10 min
Cook 15 min
Makes 250ml (1 cup)
With the tanginess of tomatoes the heat and smokiness often found in sriracha, plus charred chillies, this sauce is reminiscent of nam prik noom (green chilli dip).
4 large red chillies (not too hot)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp crushed garlic
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp smoked paprika (optional, for extra smokiness)
1 tsp salt
On a barbecue or open flame, char the red chillies all over until blackened (you can also use the oven grill on high heat, but make sure your kitchen is well ventilated). Allow them to cool, remove the skins (and the seeds if you want it to be less hot), then roughly chop.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until soft and fragrant, about two to three minutes. Add the charred chillies, tomatoes, brown sugar, rice vinegar, fish sauce, soy sauce, smoked paprika and salt. Stir to combine.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce has thickened. Reduce for longer if you want to intensify the sauce. Transfer the sauce to a blender or use a hand-held blender to puree until smooth. Pass through a sieve if you want an even smoother texture.
Nam prik sai oua (Sai oua curry paste)
This curry paste can be stored in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to one week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Makes about 125g (½ cup)
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
10 dried red chillies, soaked and deseeded (or to taste)
3 red shallots, chopped
6 garlic cloves
2 tbsp finely chopped lemongrass
2 tbsp chopped galangal
1 tbsp shrimp paste
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp salt
In a dry pan, toast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds and black peppercorns until fragrant, about one to two minutes. Set aside to cool then use a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to grind into a fine powder. Add the rest of the ingredients to the mortar and pestle, or transfer to a food processor, and pound or blend into a smooth paste.
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This is an edited extract from Thai: Anywhere and Everywhere by Nat Thaipun, photography by David Loftus, available now (Hardie Grant Books, $50).
