Commercial SOM MOO Sausage

[GlorifiedRice]

Hi

I am preparing to make Nam Khao, Laotian crispy rice salad.

I just purchased 4 commercially made packaged Som Moo sausages

Can I feel confident that I can eat this raw or should I cook it to be safe.

It is this type and brand

http://thaifoodandtravel.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/fs3/sontep_25.jpg

AND can I freeze it?

Thanks

[seabream]

In theory, if properly made, som moo is safe to eat raw because it's fermented. But I think it all depends on how much you trust the som moo you bought, and whether you like the taste of raw meat. You'll find many nam khao recipes on the web that call for cooking the meat.

I've had nam khao in Laos and the meat was raw (and no, I didn't get sick). I've also had it at a local restaurant here in Seattle, and the meat seemed cooked to me (or at least partially cooked). I've made it at home once, and I decided to pan-fry the bits of som moo a bit. Probably not very authentic, but darn good, and more guest-friendly.

So it's really up to you.

I'm curious: where did you get your som moo? Also, which recipe are you using?

[seabream]

Oh, and about freezing: the som moo I bought at a local SE Asian supermarket was frozen, and it was absolutely fine. So I would say that yes, freezing should be OK.

[GlorifiedRice]

I got my Som Moo at #1 Oriental Supermarket on Washington Ave, in Philly Pa

Its near all the Thai and Vietnamese shops...

Im using the Recipe from Nana

Okay Ill go freeze my Som Moo as Im not ready.

[GlorifiedRice]

However THIS is the video that made me curious about Nam Khao

[GlorifiedRice]

Okay so I fried the rice balls and I boiled the in wrapper Som Moo in a pot of water for 10 mins

till it was heated thru and sufficiently for me to feel safe about it..

I do not think Im gonna like this dish, but i could be wrong

[GlorifiedRice]

I love the rice balls, and the Nam Khao, but I was still too freaked out.. I only had one bite. Maybe Ill make it with pickled ham

[seabream]

So, how did it go? Did you like it?

(Btw, thanks for sharing the videos. I had seen the second one, but not the first one.)

[GlorifiedRice]

I loved the smell of that som moo sausage. I tasted a little and it was really good but I was too freaked out to eat it.

I pickled some ham in chili pepper and vinegar and made the Nam Khao and it was so GOOD. Those rice balls man! MMMMM!

If I could get that Som Moo sausage the day it was shipped to the store, Id probably eat it. As it were the sausages have no sell by or best by dates and I didnt know how long they had been at that store, so I was leary.

I shouldnt be leary though because whens the last time PORK was in the news for food poisoning? Its always VEGGIES, GROUND BEEF and Chicken... Never pork!

[seabream]

Yeah, I know what you mean. When I made nam khao my initial plan was to add the som moo raw, but when it came down to it, I ended up cooking it. You're right that raw pork is not as unsafe as we tend to think it is, and som moo is heavily fermented, so it's supposedly quite safe. Also, because it's fermented, som moo should last longer than raw pork without spoiling.

I'm glad you enjoyed the dish! The crispy rice bits are my favorite - so good! If you ever come to Seattle, Viengthong is THE place to order this dish.