Sha Cha Beef Stir-fry - A Quick & Easy Woks of Life Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What does sha cha beef taste like? ›

Often labeled on its packaging as “Chinese BBQ Sauce” in English, sha cha sauce is a mixture of shallots, garlic, seafood, and chilies that yields a savory, vaguely seafood-y, umami-laden condiment perfect for stir-fries.

It is made from soybean oil, garlic, shallots, chilies, Chinese brill, and dried shrimp. It is also sometimes sold as "Chinese barbeque sauce". Shacha sauce is used many different ways; as a soup base, a barbeque meat rub, a dipping sauce (for hot pot), or a seasoning for stir-fries.

Sha cha beef (Chinese: 沙茶牛肉; also called sa cha beef, cha beef, or cha beefsteak) is the name of a Chinese dish featuring shacha sauce and tenderized beef strips. The Americanized dish is usually served over a bed of white rice with fresh scallions and cilantro (coriander).

This sauce, popular in Taiwan (and in the Southern Chinese province of Fujian), is made of brill fish, garlic, ginger, shallots, sesame, coconut, dried shrimp, chili powder, salt, pepper and oil. (The vegetarian version swaps out the fish for soy protein, soy sauce, mirin, oats and wheat.)

What is sha cha sauce. It's a popular Asian condiment loaded with garlic, ginger, and a touch of dried shrimp seafood flavor. Originating in Fujian, China, it's a Taiwanese peanut-free version of the Malaysian satay sauce.

In Chinese cooking, proteins like beef, pork or chicken are velveted first before stir-frying them. There are several ways to velvet, but at its most basic level, it involves marinating meat with at least one ingredient that will make it alkaline. This is what tenderizes the meat, especially cheaper, tougher cuts.

While there isn't one perfect substitute for sa cha sauce, the closest thing you can get is XO sauce. If you like your sauce extra spicy, a great alternative is my chili garlic sauce, which is super flavorful, extra garlicky, and has a spicy taste.

The name 沙茶酱 translates to “sand tea sauce.” Unsure how it got this name, but as we already mentioned, it is usually described in English as, “Chinese BBQ sauce.”

In this blog post, we'll explore some of the most popular types of Chinese sauces, including soy sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, and more. From sweet and tangy to rich and savory, Chinese sauces are a crucial component of many dishes, and can completely transform the taste of a meal.

Jorrin's musical ingenuity inadvertently gave birth to the Cha Cha's characteristic triple step, as dancers spontaneously created the "cha-cha-cha" sound with their feet. This sound, echoing the onomatopoeic imitation of the shuffling shoes, became the hallmark of the dance, leading to its naming.

What is sha cha broth? ›

SA CHA is also known as Chinese Barbecue sauce, it is made from oil, garlic, shallots, chilies, and seafood (usually brill fish and dried shrimp).

noun. ˈchä-(ˌ)chä : a fast rhythmic ballroom dance of Latin American origin with a basic pattern of three steps and a shuffle.

I like to add a couple scoops of sacha sauce to nearly any dish that needs that little umami boost—stir-fries, Chinese sticky rice, congee, fried rice, or even salad dressing (think amped up Caesar salad). Even adding it to a simple bowl of plain white rice with soy sauce will do.

A condiment called black bean paste, black bean sauce (豆豉醬), or black bean garlic sauce (蒜蓉豆豉酱), Tochidjan (豆豉醬), prepared from douchi, garlic, and soy sauce, is popular in Chinese cuisine.

When done just right, it's perfectly sweet and savory, slightly spicy, and loaded with lots of delicious aromatics such as ginger, garlic, green onions and even a few dried red chilis, all combined to bring a nice pop of deep, fragrant flavor.

At first it tastes very umami-forward with a slightly briny flavor—reminiscent of Japanese katsuobushi—from the dried shrimp and brill fish. But it has a subtly sweet finish (even though sugar is not an ingredient). It's this combination of flavors that makes sacha magical and versatile.

Szechuan beef hails from the Sichuan Province in southwestern China. Its main ingredients are chili peppers, garlic, and Szechuan peppercorn. It has a sweet/spicy and complicated taste. It is famous for the distinctive tingly numbing sensation it produces when eaten.

Like many stir fry dishes, it is important to thinly slice the meat, which means stir-frying will obviously overcook the meat, which in turn will make it tough and chewy.