Dai-style beef sa pep

Dai-style beef sa pep

　　What makes sa pep special is its unique ingredient—the partially digested contents of a cow’s stomach that have mixed with gastric juices but haven’t been fully absorbed. It may sound unbelievable, yet without this key component, it simply wouldn't be sa pep.

The Dai people’s sa pep is known for being numbing, spicy, bitter, cool, sweet, delicious, and having a pale white color. They have a particular fondness for sa pep—not only do they enjoy it themselves, but it is also considered a high-quality dish to serve guests. The most meticulous part of making beef sa pep is preparing the seasoning. The process begins by thoroughly washing ingredients such as cow stomach, tenderloin, rectum, liver, and spleen, then boiling them while ensuring the meat remains tender. Once cooked, the ingredients are removed, chopped up, and seasoned with Sichuan pepper powder, spicy polygonum, chives, chili peppers, garlic, and more. Then, pre-made bitter intestine juice and a small amount of eleuthero root juice are added, along with a bit of meat broth, and everything is mixed evenly before serving.

It is a favorite dish among the Dai people in Dehong, Xishuangbanna, Simao, and Lincang, though preparation methods vary from place to place. The word “sa” in the Dai language means cold mixed dish—in Chinese, it translates roughly as “cold tossed.” In Dehong, the Dai version consists of a dipping sauce and side vegetables. The dipping sauces include lemon sa pep and beef sa pep, while the side dishes feature specially made thin Dai rice noodles, cucumber, eleuthero root, watercress, bitter bamboo shoots, and water chestnut greens. Lemon sa pep has a sour taste and offers a cooling effect ideal for beating the heat, whereas beef sa pep has a bitter flavor and is believed to have a heat-clearing effect.