Dehong Dai-style "Sapie"

Dehong Dai-style "Sapie"

　　Dehong Dai-style "Sapie"

　　The Dai people’s "Sapie" comes in various types such as bitter Sapie, fish Sapie, Sapie with thick gravy, lemon Sapie, and eggplant Sapie. Bitter Sapie: A plate of rice noodles, slices of cooked beef, and slices of cooked beef tripe are served with a bowl of vibrant green, thick sauce. The sauce is made by boiling the water extracted from the bitter bile of a cow, then mixing finely chopped raw beef with minced leeks, Myanmar coriander, fragrant willow leaves, buya (Dai language), and tiny chili peppers. A touch of fiery fresh chili is added, and the rice noodles, cooked beef, and beef tripe are simply dipped into this sauce before eating. It has a refreshingly bold flavor. The thick "Sapie" sauce is taken from the cow’s bile-infused intestines during the slaughtering process. Sapie is best eaten raw—first-timers should only try a small amount, as its bitter and cooling taste helps dispel summer heat and brings great relief on hot days. The Dai people love "Sapie" so much that they even turn fish dishes into "fish Sapie." Raw fish is mashed into a paste, mixed with lemon juice, and combined with finely chopped seasonings such as leeks, Myanmar coriander, fragrant willow leaves, buya (Dai language), and tiny chili peppers, along with a dash of fiery chili. This mixture creates a dipping sauce, which is then served with a plate of crispy fried fish bones, shredded lettuce, or shredded cabbage. Dipping them into the sauce results in a tangy-sweet flavor that’s absolutely delicious.