Super sausages

I'd like to officially nominate Hmong-style sausage as that Asian culture's food that's most likely to become a mainstream hit in Sacramento. These super sausages are made of ground meat (usually pork or chicken), and then seasoned with a blend of lemongrass, ginger and Thai chili (a.k.a. bird's eye chili). I've sampled a few tasty Hmong sausages at restaurants in the past few years, and some of my favorites come from Vientiane Restaurant (1001 Jefferson Boulevard, Suite 600 in West Sacramento) and South East Asian Barbecue (557 Eleanor Avenue). These days, I've been more inclined to grab frozen sausage from a supermarket like New Asia Supermarket (6418 Stockton Boulevard) or Samthong Meat Market (6235 Franklin Boulevard). Priced at less than $10, a five-pack of Samthong's house-made sausage is a steal. Options include regular, spicy and extra spicy—for both chicken and pork. Hmong sausage pairs well with stir-fried or raw cabbage, sweet-and-sour sauce and a side of sticky rice.