Cambodian pork sausages (sach krok)

This recipe for spiced sach krok (Cambodian pork sausages) requires the aromatic sausages to be air dried for two to three days. Paired with a sweet and sour dipping sauce, these moreish sausages are best served atop a fresh salad.

• makes

  10

• prep

  1:10 hour

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed, chopped 
• 10 kaffir lime leaves, centre veins discarded, thinly shredded 
• 2 cm slice galangal, peeled, chopped 
• 1 garlic clove, chopped 
• 2½ tsp Chinese five-spice 
• 2 tbsp sweet paprika 
• 2 tsp salt
• 50 g grated palm sugar 
• 60 ml (¼ cup) fish sauce 
• 1.5 kg lean minced pork 
• 2 m natural sausage casing (see note), very well rinsed 
• 100 ml vegetable oil, plus extra, to fry 
• salad, to serve 

Dipping sauce (tuk trey)

• 135 g (½ cup) grated palm sugar 
• 60 ml (¼ cup) fish sauce 
• 60 ml (¼ cup) rice vinegar 
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed 
• 1 long red chilli, finely chopped

Hanging time 2-3 days

You will need to begin this recipe 2 days ahead.

Instructions

To make sausages, process lemongrass, lime leaves, galangal and garlic in a small food processor to a paste. (You can also do this using a mortar and pestle.) Combine paste, spices, salt, sugar, fish sauce and pork.

Toss sausage casing in oil to prevent it drying out. Working in batches, transfer pork mixture to a large, strong piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle. Tie a knot at the end of the casing, then open the other end and place it over the nozzle to cover. Firmly holding casing on the nozzle, pipe the pork mixture into the casing, working it down to the tied end with your hands. When you have filled 20 cm of the casing, twist it to seal and form a sausage. Repeat piping the mixture and twisting the casing to make 10 sausages.

Hang sausages in the sun for 2 or 3 days or until casings feel dry and the volume of the sausages have reduced by about 20 per cent.

To make sauce, place 125 ml (½ cup) water and sugar in a small saucepan. Slowly bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, to dissolve sugar. Cool. Stir in remaining ingredients and set aside until needed. Makes about 300 ml.

Thickly slice sausages. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, then cook sausages for 2 minutes each side or until browned. Serve with salad and dipping sauce.

Note
• Unlike artificial sausage casings made from collagen or cellulose, natural sausage casings are the intestinal tract of farmed animals, usually cows or pigs. They are available from most butchers. Store the casings in a bowl of water in the fridge.

Photography by John Laurie.

As seen in Feast magazine, November 2011, Issue 3. For more recipes and articles, pick up a copy of this month's Feast magazine or check out our great subscriptions offers here.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.