Sai Pie

Sai Pie

　　Among the distinctive Dai cuisine, there is an exquisite dish—Sai Pie—that is widely loved by people of all ethnicities. Even travelers from Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong find it very enjoyable, and some even specifically request this dish when they return to Dehong. Since the Sai Pie sauce is a condiment that requires dipping grilled beef tripe shreds, beef slices, and cold rice noodles into it, some also call Sai Pie “Dehong’s version of Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles.”

The way to make Sai Pie is as follows: finely mince 1 kilogram of lean yellow beef into a paste, then dilute the liquid from the freshly slaughtered yellow ox’s gallbladder with water, bring it to a boil, and strain it through gauze for later use. Next, finely chop fresh Chinese chives and squeeze out the moisture, then mix them with seasonings such as lemon basil, salt, chili powder, and MSG. Combine the beef paste with the bile water and stir everything evenly to serve. To eat Sai Pie, simply dip rice noodles, beef tripe shreds, or beef slices into the Sai Pie sauce before eating.

Sai Pie not only contains abundant nutrients from various wild herbs due to the ox gallbladder water, but also has the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, invigorating the spleen, and stimulating the appetite. Its taste is slightly bitter at first, but leaves a sweet aftertaste upon further consumption. Coupled with the addition of medicinal plant seasonings, Sai Pie becomes an exceptionally flavorful medicinal dish. For those suffering from stomach heat, inflammation, or gum pain caused by excessive internal heat, just one or two servings of Sai Pie can reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Regular consumption of Sai Pie may also help prevent cancer.

Because of its meticulous preparation, fine knife skills, use of fresh ingredients, and comprehensive seasoning, Sai Pie is time-consuming and labor-intensive to make, making it a classic “labor-intensive dish.”